In the Orientale and Bas-Congo provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) the prevalence of diabetes and gestational diabetes is 4.7% and 5.2% respectively. An even higher percentage of people have impaired glucose tolerance, providing a basis for the apprehension that diabetes will reach epidemic proportions as is happening in other parts of the developing world. In spite of improvements in the socio-political situation in DRC, health care remains inadequate and the availability of diabetes care is limited.The socioeconomic situation and health status of the Orientale and Bas-Congo provinces have deteriorated as a consequence of the civil war in DRC, and the health care indicators are alarming. In addition to limited access to diabetes care, there is a lack of integration between the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of health care. A referral system is more or less non existent, hindering effective and comprehensive disease management, and this is detrimental for people living with diabetes and other chronic conditions.The aim of this project is to improve the availability and quality of diabetes care in Kinshasa and the Bas-Congo and Orientale provinces of DRC within the framework of a comprehensive improvement in health system.
With support from the Belgian Technical Cooperation (BTC), the Ministry of Health (MoH) is in the process of developing a comprehensive public health care programme throughout DRC. In light of the increasing recognition of the need for prioritising NCD care, initiatives have been taken by the MoH to integrate chronic health care programmes into the National Health Programme.During the next years the MoH and the BTC will progressively reorganise and reinforce eight general reference hospitals and approximately 125 health care centres in the two provinces. This offers a unique opportunity for supporting the development and reinforcement of sustainable diabetes care programmes in semi-urban and rural areas of DRC, where only limited diabetes care has been available hitherto.The present project represents the third phase of an ongoing WDF-Flemish Interuniversity Council (VLIR) partnership in DRC. The first phase of the partnership, project WDF02-041, sought to increase the availability of insulin and oral diabetes medication in Kinshasa and the Bas-Congo province. The aim of the second phase, project WDF05-128, was to support the government in developing a national diabetes programme. Among other things, it consisted of four residential courses for diabetes educator teams.This present project seeks to improve diabetes care by training personnel and promoting clinical care in the health care centres supported by MoH and BTC. A core component is to offer an additional eight residential courses covering all of the DRC territory including war torn areas with difficult access to medical care.The WDF support will be integrated into the implementation of the National Health Programme. In addition to supporting training of health care personnel, WDF will support the implementation of the Step by Step diabetic foot care programme in all medical centres of the intervention area, and gestational diabetes programme providing screening and treatment in 12 hospitals of the Bas-Congo and Orientale provinces. Both are linked and integrated with ongoing programmes in Kinshasa.
- 200 paramedics, educators and others trained- 40 accumulated number of foot care training for HCP general- 200 doctors and nurses trained- 2865 accumulated number of patients treated, 1000 patients screened and 300 feet saved through treatment