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Togo is experiencing increasing prevalence rates of diabetes. Additionally, more than one out of every three hospitalised persons with diabetes dies prematurely.
As a result, there is an urgent need to raise the level of knowledge among community health care personnel and people with diabetes in order to strengthen the prevention of diabetes and its complications, improve quality of life for the patients and reduce the associated rate of premature death.
Objective
The project aims to raise the level of knowledge about diabetes among health care providers and improve the guidance and health care available to people with diabetes and the general public.
Approach
The project is initiated by the Togo Diabetes Association and is intended for health care personnel of district hospitals and health care centres.
The principal objective of the project is to train 20 "diabetes awareness educator" trainers, who will subsequently train more diabetes educators.
The training of trainers (TOT) is performed through a seminar consisting of two sessions. The methods used are interactive and group-oriented relying on presentations, demonstrations, group discussion and role-playing exercises.
At the end of the first 3-day session, the participants attend a practical session for approximately five days at an Internal Medicine Department or in a Centre for Patient Reception and Diabetes Prevention.
Upon completion of the TOT, the trainers return to their original health care centres, where they shall serve as educators for an initial period.
Meanwhile, they are to develop an awareness educator training program, which will be presented, examined and discussed at the second session which takes place approximately 1 year after the first session. Those whose programs are accepted shall start functioning as a diabetes awareness educator trainer.
Following the second session for the TOTs, five 3-day sessions will be conducted by the TOTs throughout the country to continue the training of more diabetes awareness educators. Each session will cover 20 health care workers and so sum up to a total of 100 diabetes awareness educators in the country.
Upon completion of training, the educators should among other things be able to:
- Integrate educational activities into health care planning
- Implement an educational project for people with diabetes and their families
- Understand the importance of a multi-disciplinary care team in diabetes management
- Describe the psycho-social impact of diabetes and its treatment to people with diabetes and their families
- Elaborate and implement a diabetes awareness project
The identification of the participating health care workers will be made in collaboration with the responsible health authorities of the peripheral health care structures. The health care workers are - and remain - regular staff of their respective health facilities.
An even geographical representation from all regions of Togo will be attempted in the selection for the training. Participants are selected from among nurses, medical assistants, midwives, doctors, dieticians, members of diabetes associations, NGOs etc.
Expected impact
- At least 100 diabetes educators trained
- 80% of the diabetes prevention centres, health care centres and district hospitals staffed with at least one trained educator
- Minimum 30% increase in number of people with diabetes, who are able to sufficiently manage their treatment
- Minimum 30% increase in correctly referred diabetes patients
- 30% more diabetes related complications detected and treated in early stages
- A 30% reduction of diabetes related foot amputations
- Premature mortality rate associated with diabetes reduced by at least 20%
- 30% reduction in hospital admission rates due to diabetic ketoacidosis
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