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India has the world's highest population of people with diabetes and the number is increasing at a very fast pace.
At the same time people get type 2 diabetes earlier in life and as a result complications such as diabetic foot and retinopathy also occur earlier. It places a heavy burden on Indian society when people at an early age are unable to work and provide for their family.
The devastating effects of unattended diabetes and the increasing number of people with the disease call for greater prevention efforts to sensitise the stakeholders for prevention and care through awareness raising.
The general public has to know how to avoid getting diabetes; those with diabetes need to know what they should do to delay or prevent the dreaded complications and other stakeholders must be sensitised to participate in the fight against diabetes.
Approach
The main purpose of this project is to execute an awareness campaign targeting the general population, health care providers and policy makers in 14 Indian states.
Rural areas will receive special attention as these areas have a poor health infrastructure, low literacy rates and lack of exposure to media and therefore lack lack awareness about health related issues in general and diabetes in particular. This lack of awareness has consequences in terms of delayed diagnosis, poor outcomes and more complications.
Initially a base line KAP (Knowledge, Awareness and Practice) survey is conducted to assess the existing level of awareness, the way the media is used and the available diabetes related health services. The findings will be used to design the campaign in order to make it more user friendly.
Road shows and screening camps constitute a core component in the project. These activities will mainly be carried out in rural areas and are expected to bring about change through a interactive approach.
Each diabetes screening camp is preceded by a road show aiming at making people aware of the various aspects of diabetes by providing IEC materials and having a contest on diabetes awareness among other things. The road show is followed by a screening camp where people have the option of getting screened for diabetes. Those who have diabetes will be referred to nearby health centres for counselling and care.
Before the road shows and screening camps, the local communities, key opinion leaders, doctors and health care professionals are mobilised in terms of promoting the road shows and screening camps but also to sensitise local stakeholders to the need of such an awareness campaign in order to gain support for the campaign.
In addition to the road shows and screening camps, the awareness campaign comprises a print media campaign, a radio campaign and a diabetes helpline.
The print media campaign will create awareness as well as advocate the need for action among the literate population. The campaign will be printed in the Dainik Jagran that has approximately 20 million readers in 14 states and will inform about various events connected to diabetes such as the road shows, screening camps and the Global Diabetes Walk on World Diabetes Day.
The radio campaign will be conducted through the Radio Mantra and is another way of reaching the illiterate population. Through the radio campaign people will be made aware of the venue and schedule of the road shows and screening camps and facts related to diabetes. The approach will be fun, entertaining and interactive through contests and the possibility to ask questions.
Finally, a diabetes SMS helpline will be established. By dialling the helpline number people can access various information related to diabetes through their mobile phone. The existence of the helpline will be promoted through the radio and print media campaigns. | 
