|
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 project is a geographical extension of another WDF funded project, Insulin availability (WDF02-041).
Approach
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.
Expected impact
- 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 is expected to assist the Ministry of Health in the development of a national diabetes programme.
Results to date
-
A diabetes retinopathy programme has been set up including systematic screening of more than 4,000 patients (between 01/2004 and 06/2007).
-
A prevalence study of retinopathy at diagnosis was completed. More than 2,000 adults in Kisanthu, Bas Congo participated in the study.
-
Under a detection program of hypertension and early stages of retinopathy, 3,018 persons were screened throughout Kinshasa. 22% were found overweight; 11% had diabetes; 37% suffered from hypertension, and 18% had proteinuria.
-
The Centre for Epidemiology of Diabetes expanded its data collection sites, published electronic bulletins and had a scientific paper accepted by Acta Clinica Belgica. The Centre also carried out a diabetes and IGT study among more than 2,000 adults in Kisanthu, Bas-Congo.
-
As the second course of the national programme, a tree-day course for 10 teams of diabetes educators (one doctor and two nurses per team) was successfully carried out in Lubumbashi, Katanga in May 2007.
-
A screening program at UNIKIN (Kinshasa University Hospital) and Hôpital Général is ongoing. In 861 women screened after 24th week of pregnancy, 5,2% were found to have gestational diabetes.
-
The study, A longitudinal study of body composition and basal metabolic rate during pregnancy in a black population of Kinshasa, RDC by Mbungu Mwimba R, was published in April 2007.
-
One doctor underwent a three-month diabtic foot training at Hopital Général, in Leuven in spring 2007. |
|
