Diabetes education and prevention

Objectives

Nepal is witnessing an epidemic of diabetes similar to other countries in South Asia. Recent data indicate a crude prevalence of diabetes as high as 15-22% in the Kathmandu Valley.

Due to other national health priorities, little attention is given to diabetes. Qualified diabetes care is challenging to access due to a lack of a trained workforce, poverty, terrain, and transport. As a result, late diagnosis is frequent, leading to many diabetic complications.

To tackle the problem, there is a dire need to increase public awareness of the disease, its complications and its prevention. Equally important is the training of medical staff to effectively address the problem.
Astha Nepal is an NGO formed by like-minded healthcare professionals and laypeople to promote awareness and encourage local communities to proactively reduce the burden of chronic diseases.

The project aims to develop a model for community involvement in diabetes education, management and prevention in Nepal.

Approach

The project aims to create public awareness, advocacy and access to diabetes care among low-income people with limited access to health care.

The project is a pilot intervention to develop and test whether community participation in providing diabetes care closer to the patient's home will improve care and reduce complications. The approach aims to bring diabetes care to the patient's doorstep and to empower them to manage the disease to prevent long-term complications.

Particular emphasis will also be given to raising community awareness to encourage healthy living to prevent diabetes, especially among families with a history of diabetes.

The project aims to train local healthcare providers and involve NGOs, the local community, students and youth groups to increase awareness, encourage early diagnosis and provide better care for persons with diabetes.

The project's specific activities will focus on:
• Full-day diabetes camps in the communities. Follow-up camps at regular intervals
• Direct awareness and education programmes in the local communities on (un)healthy lifestyles and detection and prevention of diabetes and its complications
• Education for youth in clubs and schools about diabetes, its complications and preventive measures
• Preventive measures in families with a history of diabetes, encouraging a healthy lifestyle
• Training of local health care providers in primary diabetes care and management
• Increasing awareness among government, NGOs and institutions through publications and seminars

Teams of youth, people with diabetes/relatives, and local health care providers will be formed and trained. These teams are expected to conduct programmes in their local communities to spread the message.

Results at completion

• 87 local health care providers and social workers trained in diabetes detection, management and prevention
• 3326 people with diabetes and their families educated in self-management
• 235 young people sensitised on diabetes, its complications and prevention