Approach

The proposed programme will consist of following activities, based on lessons learnt, achievements and outcomes of projects WDF10-572/WDF15-955:

1. Update and adapt clinical guidelines and protocols for HIP detection and management incl. post-partum activities/diabetes care and prevention. A scientific committee will be established consisting of all stakeholders. New guidelines and protocols will be adopted formally by the eight departments targeted. Various education and awareness materials on HIP/diabetes and risk factors also will be updated, re-printed and distributed to the departments.

2. Capacity building of health centres across the eight targeted departments based on training of HCPs of different categories, including doctors, nurses, nutritionists, psychologists (mental health) and community health workers. Targeted health centres will be provided basic equipment and at least one centre in each department will become referral centre for specialised care, integrated with other existing maternal/specialised care centres.  

3. Roll out of universal screening of pregnant women across all communities within catchment areas, combined with education and referral for cases detected. Post-partum services will be strengthened and institutionalised at health centre level and as part of community health worker outreach.

4. Roll out of large-scale awareness and mass media campaigns concerning diabetes and other NCDs in general, and targeting pregnant women for HIP detection in particular (linked to new services offered). 

Institutionalisation of data collection and monitoring across all areas targeted, including the involvement of academia/research, and including followup interventions at Barranquilla level of women (and their offspring) detected during preceding projects (WDF10-572/WDF15-955).

Expected results

• 120 health centres across eight departments provided capacity building, 8 of them established as referral units 
• At least 1,200 HCPs of various categories trained (on average ten per health centre) combined with training of 1,200 community health workers
• At least 60,000 pregnant women screened for HIP with at least 3,600 new cases detected and provided care
• Special follow up provided to some 1,000 cases of HIP from preceding project and their offspring, i.e. some 1,000 children
• At least 400 university lecturers/teachers from 20 medical/nursing schools located in target areas also to be trained based on new guidelines and protocols, i.e. curricula will be strengthened within HIP/diabetes tuition
• At least 50,000 people mobilised through WDD and community level events, and at least 60,000 women reached through targeted campaigns
• The eight departments targeted represent some ten million inhabitants or more than 20% of the total country population.