Epidemiological data from Uzbekistan has shown that for every person diagnosed with diabetes, 14 people have undiagnosed diabetes.In Uzbekistan, negative attitudes towards diabetes and stigmatisation of people with diabetes are common and can be attributed to an insufficient level of information about the disease. As a result many people - particularly women - with diabetes do not attend regular medical examinations for diabetes and for many, the disease has led to severe psycho social problems.Therefore, there is a substantial need to reach people with diabetes and to disseminate information in order to overcome stigmatisation associated with the condition.The objective of the project is to increase awareness of diabetes and to conduct diabetes screening in the Ferghana Region of Uzbekistan.
In order to reduce the stigmatisation related to diabetes in the target area, the project seeks to raise awareness about diabetes and at the same time increase diagnosis rates.The project has five main components:Component 1 seeks to develop and implement a strategy to reduce stigmatisation of diabetes. Working groups and round-tables will be conducted to develop and implement a strategy which will look at how different organisations in the most optimal way can coordinate their activities seeking to address stigmatisation of diabetes in the society.Participants will be representatives from the local government, neighbourhood committees, NGOs and the mass media.The second component focuses on training of health care professionals. During 10 seminars, a total of 280 physicians and 280 nurses from rural areas will be trained. The training of physicians will provide the participants with new methods of prevention and treatment of diabetes. The nurses' training focuses on the enabling them to provide psycho social support to people with diabetes.Many people with diabetes go undiagnosed for years; often only to be diagnosed when diabetes related complications set in. Component 3 therefore concerns screening for diabetes and thereby increasing early diagnosis rates. A mobile diabetes unit is established and will carry out screening of 6,000 rural women and 4,000 rural children.The fourth element in the project is an information campaign which will include social announcements on local TV, relevant articles in newspapers in the region and development and distribution of 10,000 booklets about diabetes enhancing a tolerant attitude towards people with diabetes.Finally, an international conference with the title "Actual objectives of Diabetes" will be conducted with the participation of leading specialists.The project partner is also involved in the implementation of WDF07-232 which builds on capacity established under the completed WDF04-095.
- 271 rural physicians were educated new methods of prevention and treatment of Diabetes- 268 rural medical nurses educated to the primal revealing of Diabetes - 12,336 of women of a child bearing age and teenager girls screened