Out of the 27 million inhabitants of Nepal, 673,000 people have diabetes. This number is expected to increase rapidly as diabetes and NCD risk factors such as ageing, urbanization, physical inactivity, unhealthy eating habits, tobacco and alcohol consumption become increasingly prevalent.A recent study has shown the overall prevalence of NCDs as high as 31% in people aged 35 to 50 years old.While the need for addressing diabetes issues is immense, the damage caused by the recent earthquake in Nepal have further compromised Nepal’s already fragile health systems.Therefore, many of the people who are at risk of developing diabetes and other NCDs and those already suffering from diabetes are likely to develop co-morbidities and cardiovascular diseases.ObjectivesThis project targets primary health care providers in four selected districts affected by recent earthquake in Nepal. It will develop training materials and train community health workers. School teachers and media will disseminate the message of diabetes prevention and detection and healthy lifestyle to the general population.
The two main components of this project are development of materials and training of various groups.Training guidelines and a handbook on healthy lifestyle for diabetes prevention will be developed based ona review of international and national guidelines, including WDF materials.A 5-day training of community health workers (CHW) employed in primary health care facilities will develop their knowledge and skills related to diabetes screening, detection and management.The trained community health workers will then train school teachers to facilitate education about diabetes and NCD prevention in lower and secondary level schools.Also, in 2-day sessions, media representatives will be trained in communicating and disseminating information about the project and about diabetes.Trainings and seminars with the school teachers from selected earthquake-affected districts will be held. These will equip trained teachers and health workers to organise school health education sessions to improve healthy behaviour and increase awareness about diabetes prevention and control.Finally, advocacy and roundtable discussions with policy makers and stakeholders will be arranged to further the diabetes agenda.
Training modules and materials for diabetes in Nepal developed.375 HCP and 160 community health volunteers trained in two target districts.Diabetes services strengthened at 122 primary level clinics.24,900 people screened for diabetes.136 media people oriented on diabetesIt is estimated that the whole population of the target districts have been reached with diabetes awareness through mass media campaigns. 405 school teachers trained