Afghanistan

Afghanistan has joined the Global Diabetes Walk since its inception in 2004.
This year, despite of the serious security situation in Afghanistan, over a thousand individuals celebrated WDD starting from the main building of Ministry of Public Health. This programe was organized by Novo Nordisk Afghanistan, Afghanistan Diabetes Association and Ministry of Public Health, the Diabetes Management Centre, Roshan Company and World Health Organization.

On 14th November 2007, WDD more than one thousand people took the streets to raise awareness amongst the general population on the dire need and importance of preventing and managing diabetes. School students, including boys and girls along with their teachers, Health Educators and hundreds of people with diabetes participated. Key messages were conveyed through Banners, Placards and posters
 

The main program started by recitation of the holey Qoran by Ahmad Shah Abid (Novo Nordisk employee ), the main speaker was the deputy ministers (Dr Nadara Hayat Burhani, Dr Kakar ) Mohammad Hanif (Novo Nordisk Afghanistan country project manager ), Dr Farid Homayoun (National Diabetes Treatment and Control program project manager ), Dr Rahmat Orya (Afghanistan Diabetes Association president ), Dr Nadeeb (World Health Organization representative ).
 
Deputy Minister Dr Nadera, added in part of her speech, the acknowledgment of the support given by World Diabetes Foundation, the cooperation of Ministry of Public Health and Novo Nordisk which has led to the establishment of 4 diabetes clinics at the main hospital of Kabul. More than 10.000 diabetes patients have been treated in these clinics.
 
The Deputy minister personally recognized Mr Mohammad Hanif (Afghanistan Project Manager) for his efforts in supporting and raising awareness about diabetes amongst the poor and disadvantaged people in Afghanistan. She promised MoPH will fully support Novo Nordisk and the Diabetes Management Centre.
 
Since the last two months the team have been planning the activities for World Diabetes Day, through printing the posters, banners, diabetes brochures, initiating roundtable talks about diabetes in local radios stations (Azadi Radio, VOA) to raise awareness of diabetes amongst the rural population. Many of the international radio and national TV programmes actually covered the event on WDD.