According to a 1998 survey, the overall diabetes prevalence rate in Bolivia is around 7% of the adult population. Data from a 2002 survey indicate an urban prevalence as high as 8.5%. Despite the increasing prevalence of diabetes in Bolivia, the health care system’s capacity to address diabetes remains limited, mainly covering main urban areas. This is due to a need for more financial and human resources and competing demands on the health sector budget.As a result, the incidence of acute and chronic complications of diabetes is high. These are complications which would be largely avoidable or which at least could be diminished with proper diabetes control and education.The project seeks to improve diabetes health services by training essential diabetes educators throughout Bolivia.
In recognition of the increasing burden of diabetes and the lack of healthcare capacity to address it, several partners have agreed to collaborate to build a cadre of trained diabetes nurse educators.The partners are:• Centre for Living with Diabetes• Bolivian Society of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition• Bolivian Diabetic Federation• National Directorate of Non-Communicable Diseases under the Ministry of Health and Sports• Dr Elizabeth Duarte, head of the Centre for Living with Diabetes and national diabetes coordinator, heads the project.The project builds upon the outcome and conclusions of the first International Workshop on Educational Programs for Bolivia, held in Cochabamba in April 2002. A total of 9 training courses will be conducted over two years. Each course will allow 40 participants, bringing the total number of trained diabetes educators to 360. Courses will be taught in Cochabamba, La Paz, Tarija, Santa Cruz, Oruro, Chuquisaca, Potosi, Pando and Beni.The content of the training will focus on:• Basic concepts• Non-pharmacological treatment• Pharmacological treatment• Self-management• Acute and chronic complications• Basic educational techniquesThe educators will be drawn from diverse strata of the Bolivian society, including health personnel, community leaders and health promoters, people with diabetes and their relatives. Selection criteria primarily focus on a proven commitment and motivation towards improving the lives of people with diabetes.Upon completing the training, the diabetes educators are expected to work within existing health centres, diabetes association branches and other institutions nationwide. The educators’ primary function will be to coach and support people with diabetes and their families to enable them to cope with their disease's burden and lead an everyday life.Centre for Living with Diabetes will establish a communication network with all the health centres, diabetes association branches and people living with diabetes to provide technical backstopping and upgrades and coach implementation of the diabetes education programmes in the various regions of Bolivia.
- 604 Trainers trained- Nine introductory Diabetes training courses held in 9 departments of Bolivia- Nine refresher courses for Biochemists and Pharmacy staff held- One refresher course for GPs held- Two courses on “Prevention” for people with diabetes- Approx 200,000 people with diabetes reached