The overall diabetes prevalence rate in Bolivia is around 5% of the adult population. Data from a 2002 survey indicate an urban prevalence as high as 8.5%.Diabetes care and support for the affected people and their families is limited in Bolivia. Therefore, Dr Elizabeth Duarte has initiated establishing the Centro Vivir con Diabetes (Centre for Living with Diabetes). This centre focuses on helping people with diabetes and their families to live an everyday life with the disease. The centre has worked voluntarily with Dr Duarte as the strong driving force. This project seeks to assist the centre in establishing itself more permanently and sustainably in the long term.The project aims to enhance the quality of life for people with diabetes in the Cochabamba province, Bolivia, by helping them to lead an everyday life with diabetes.
The project supports the Centro Vivir con Diabetes for one year with salaries. It will enable the centre to hire the required staff more permanently than has been the case to date. It will provide stability and continuity in the work of the centre.The centre will be able to focus on its core task - to assist people with diabetes. It is also hoped that by enabling the centre to perform effectively for one year, the centre will be able to attract resources from other sources for the long-term continuation of its work.Regarding the project's specific activities, the centre will establish two clinics for diabetes, nutrition and psychological care during the one year.Training programmes will be conducted regularly. These programmes include:• Training of health care providers in diabetes care• Advanced diabetes education for two months, two days per week. Focus is placed on medical care and counselling, nutrition and exercise. Participation includes scientists, doctors, nurses, nutritionists, people with diabetes and their relatives
• 1,200 people have been treated at the centre, of whom 60% attend for medical treatment, 30% for nutritional treatment and the remaining 10% for psychological treatment and other services.• 15 courses of the PREVENIR (PREVENT) Programme were held, attended by 149 people. • 100 type 1 diabetes children and young people attended the educational programme, and 70 people attended the 6 cookery courses.• 14,616 healthy lunched has been provided by the Centre.