Reducing complications of diabetes in five regions, Ivory Coast

Objectives

An estimated 1.3 million people of a total population of 23 million suffer from diabetes in Côte d'Ivoire, according to projections from 2014.

Diabetes has a devastating effect both on children and adults in the country. The disease has had serious consequences on all sectors of Ivorian society: the economy, education, health, agriculture and social relations.

The entire country has only 15 endocrinologists, diabetologists, specialists in internal medicine, nurses and midwives qualified to treat diabetes, and all are based in the capital of Abidjan.

The lack of resources for prevention, treatment, training and knowledge-building among health care professionals, as well as for awareness-raising and education, leads to extremely high levels of late-stage complications. The result is high levels of morbidity and mortality due to diabetes.



Objectives

This projects aims to decentralise diabetes care and prevention across five regions in Cote d’Ivoire

Approach

Through training modules, health care professionals will be trained in the prevention, detection and treatment of diabetes including management of diabetic foot and referral, using the Training-of-Trainers(ToTs) model.

The approach is for doctors to change from giving orders to actively listening to patients, adapting their behaviour to help individual patients set practical goals and manage their condition.

To raise awareness about diabetes and its risk factors among the Ivorian population, a large media campaign will be rolled out, and social public activities will be arranged. These activities will adapt popular activities such as sports, flash mobs and caravans, to communicate the messages widely.

Additionally, methods will be created for involving patients and civil society through non-governmental associations, to ensure access to high-quality care, defend their rights, and reduce the social and economic impact of diabetes.

In each of the main towns in the selected five regions in the Côte d'Ivoire a diabetes micro-clinic will be established and all five regions will perform screenings for diabetes among the population. The supply mechanism from the central pharmacy will also be strengthened to ensure access to diabetes medication.

Results at completion

- 15 HCPs were trained, and 130 HCPs were trained in diabetes care
- Improved care by recruiting staff within existing health care structures and six established clinic in all five selected regions
- Several tv and radio broadcasts rolled out to reach approximately 1 million people across regions
- 42,000 of people were screened