The aim of the project is to improve health care for people with diabetes in Kinshasa and the Kisantu Bas-Congo health zone in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Increased detection and improved management of hypertension, diabetic nephropathy and diabetic retinopathy.
Increased detection of gestational diabetes and improved diabetes care during pregnancy.
The project will assist the Ministry of Health in the development of a national diabetes programme.
Results at project completion
More than 5,600 people have been screened for diabetic retinopathy.
3 day courses include the additional sites of Bandundu, Kananga, Kisantu and Kasai with a total of 75 MDs and 130 nurses trained.
Step by step training comprising a 3 day basic and 3 day advanced courses for 40 teams (1 MD + 1 nurse per team) have been conducted.
Screening program at UNIKIN: 2,000 women screened for gestational diabetes. Prevalence of 5,6%.
The Centre of Epidemiology publishes a scientific newsletter 4 times per year which is being sent to more than 300 MDs.
Project details
Despite marked improvements in the socio-political situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), health care in general, and diabetes care in particular are still inadequate and continue to depend on outside help.
Due to a prolonged period of war in DRC, the availability of insulin has been limited. A previous WDF funded project, WDF02-041 addressed this emergency situation by providing insulin and oral diabetes medication to people with diabetes in Kinshasa and the Kisantu Bas-Congo health care zone.
The present project is the second phase of the WDFdiabetes project in DRC, and represents the continuation of the previous WDF and Flemish Interuniversity Council (VLIR) partnership in the country.
Objective
The aim of the project is to improve health care for people with diabetes in Kinshasa and the Kisantu Bas-Congo health zone in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The first phase of the WDF diabetes project in DRC has contributed to raising the political attention on the importance of diabetes as a public health issue in the country. Consequently, the Congolese Ministry of Health is now in the process of developing and implementing a national diabetes programme and has requested VLIR for assistance in this process.
The present project consists of 3 components:
Support the enhancement of programmes for early detection and management of hypertension, diabetic nephropathy and diabetic retinopathy by purchasing additional necessary equipment.
Support the extension of an existing screening programme for gestational diabetes and improve the management of diabetes care for pregnant women.
Support the Congolese Ministry of Health in development and implementation of a national diabetes programme. Support will be provided by reinforcing the activities of the recently established Center for Diabetes Epidemiology at the School of Public Health, University of Kinshasa, and by organising residential diabetes training courses for doctor-nurse teams.
