Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is a major health problem affecting the course of pregnancy and its outcome. It is one of the maternal morbidities that contribute to maternal deaths, stillbirths and complications during pregnancy.In Sudan, information on GDM is lacking at all levels of the health care system. In order to improve maternal health and safe motherhood, GDM requires considerable attention in the coming years.As a result, the Sudan Federal Ministry of Health, the United Nations Fund for Population Affairs (UNFPA) and the Sudan Fertility Care Association have joined forces in this project to improve early detection of GDM and prevention of its complications at primary health care level.The project aims to improve the health status of pregnant women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and to achieve healthy outcome of their pregnancy.
The project is attached to the reproductive health centre at Alhag Yousif administrative unit in Khartoum. This centre is supported by UNFPA and the Sudan Fertility Care Association (SFCA).The main objective is to establish the first GDM clinic in Sudan by the end of 2007. The GDM clinic is intended to work as a reference centre, located in the reproductive health centre at the Alhag Yousif RH clinic. Today this health centre provides services to over 140,000 mothers and children coming from the large Eastern part of Khartoum state.The project provides training to 60 medical doctors and nurses on control and management of GDM and trains 30 educators on GDM screening and early detection at eight locations; in the Alhag Yousif RH clinic, at two hospitals and five health centres in Khartoum State.Patients detected with GDM will be referred to the central GDM clinic for treatment and guidance before and after childbirth.Educational material is developed in the form of GDM guidelines, posters and pamphlets for patients. Through distribution of these materials and by giving health education sessions in waiting rooms, knowledge about health, nutrition and diabetes is expected to increase in all eight locations.The project also provides national registry cards for GDM patients as an integral part of the national diabetes programme.
- 8 GDM clinics established equipped and provided by consumables - Total of 482 different care providers were trained on diabetes in general and GDM protocols and education- 30442 pregnant ladies received education about diabetes