India has the world’s largest diabetic population in terms of numbers, with over 32 million people affected. This is expected to more than double by 2025.The existing and anticipated prevalence of diabetes is placing an enormous socio-economic burden on people with diabetes, their families and society. Nowadays, India does not have the systems to meet the needs and expectations of the vast population with diabetes.In recognition of this growing problem, the Government of India has initiated a National Diabetes Control Programme. Prof. Ramachandran chairs the expert committee with the task of formulating the Programme. Prof. Ramachandran is the director of the M.V. Hospital for Diabetes & diabetes research centre, a WHO collaborating centre.The project aims to ensure that the Indian population gains access to adequate and affordable diabetes care.
This project is directed at improving diabetes healthcare delivery. It is integral to the capacity building for implementing the National Diabetes Control Programme for India.As a result, the project's main focus rests on training doctors, nurses, paramedics, specialists, people with diabetes, their families, policy and decision-makers and the general public. Training of medical staff will be in the form of diabetes workshops for 3000 doctors (1000 / year) and 1080 community nurses (360 / year). In addition, specialists in foot care, nutrition and diabetes education will receive full-time training for two months.It is envisaged that the trained workforce will help establish diabetes management centres in smaller cities and towns across India within existing healthcare facilities.People with diabetes and their families will receive diabetes self-care education from doctors, community nurses and specialists. Public awareness campaigns and events and diabetes health awareness programmes will be conducted to address the general public and policy and decision-makers.
• The necessary course curriculum and training tools have been developed to train health care personnel in the public, NGO and private health care delivery system and trainers who can further train others to integrate diabetes care into the existing system. Global Guidelines for type 2 diabetes have also been distributed• 3023 doctors were trained from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Orissa. Twice a month for three years, training was given in 5-day workshops. Doctors from private as well as government hospitals were trained, representing both rural and urban areas• 1352 paramedical personnel/community nurses have been trained by participating in 3-day workshops• 120 health educators and 60 dieticians have been trained in nutrition and dietetics and patient diabetes education during a three-week in-house training in Chennai• Dissemination of knowledge: The participants trained in diabetes care started various initiatives in their job settings and workstations. This included:- Registration of diabetes societies and helping poor diabetes patients; conducting or facilitating training or continuing medical education to their colleagues and other paramedical staff- Organising awareness training programmes among various target groups: Patients and their families, high-risk groups, policymakers, programme managers and the general public- Motivating colleagues and other categories of staff to attend the WDF training- Improving the quality of care in their clinical setting; hospitals or private clinics- Starting education of the public and patients on lifestyle modification and its importance• The doctors who were trained started establishing diabetes management and prevention centres. This has happened mainly in the primary health centres, railway hospitals and government district hospitals• A 22-minute drama for public/patient education on diabetes was designed and produced. Available on CD in English and Tamil languages Expected Results• 3000 doctors capable of delivering primary and secondary diabetes care• 1000 community nurses able to raise awareness of diabetes in local communities• 180 trained foot care specialists, nutritionists and diabetes self-care educators• Diabetes care provided to 7.5 million people with diabetes a year• 1 million people exposed to the cause per year through campaigns and events• Reduction by 25% (minimum 19,000) in amputations due to diabetes among the 7.5 million people reached