Diabetes in Sudan is a growing health problem with a significant impact and an increasing incidence among all socio-economic classes. It is associated with a high prevalence of complications and a low quality of life. The National Diabetes Programme and the regional programmes of the central and northern states in Sudan have identified priorities and agreed on the approach towards an optimum level of diabetes care delivery implemented in this project.The project aims to improve the capacity of the Sudanese health care system to deliver, manage and monitor services for the prevention and treatment of diabetes.
The project focuses on Sudan's central and northern parts (Khartoum, Gezeira, River Nile and Northern States). An estimated 800,000 people have diabetes in the project area. Approximately 300,000 people mainly receive diabetes care through public sector facilities.The project seeks to improve the capacity of the public health care system by establishing a network of diabetes care facilities in Sudan. Twenty diabetes mini-clinics and eight diabetes units will be set up, and the facilities of 2 existing diabetes centres will be enhanced. A general practitioner and a diabetes educator will staff the mini-clinics. This is the agreed basic configuration for primary-level diabetes care in Sudan. The diabetes units and centres will be developed to have more significant resources and provide secondary and tertiary treatment services.To build the necessary human resource capacity, it is envisaged that 47 doctors and 60 diabetes educators will undergo a 12-week training programme in diabetes prevention and management.As Sudan has a limited public health tradition for chronic disease control, the project will advocate and seek to build partnerships with different sectors and individuals involved in diabetes care. A workshop will be held to support the partnership concept, to achieve commitment, and to agree on policies and strategies for the partnerships among the various stakeholders.
• More than 50,000 people with diabetes have recieved good diabetes care• 80 practioners and 76 diabetes educators will be trained in diabetes prevention and treatment• 25 diabetes mini-clinics at a local level and four diabetes units at general hospitals have been established.