Promoting prevention, care and management of diabetes among indigenous people emphasizing on diabetic foot care, Nagaland, India

Objectives

Currently 8.3% of the Indian population suffer from diabetes, which corresponds to more than 60 million people between the ages of 20 and 70. In the year 2030 that number is estimated to rise to more than 100 million.

The disease burden of diabetes is increasing rapidly among the indigenous people due to growing urbanisation, following urban life-style and life-style related changes.
Due to high illiteracy rates and lack of basic knowledge about health and diabetes, the indigenous people learn about their diabetes at a late stage, and then they are often hit by different health complications related to diabetes like foot, heart and eye problems, as well as kidney complications.

Objectives

With an ultimate goal of reducing the mortality and morbidity, as well as the number of foot problems and foot amputations, this project aims to raise awareness and strengthen diabetes and diabetic foot prevention, care and management among indigenous peoples in 379 rural villages in the Dimapur and Wokha districts in Nagaland.

Approach

This project is run an organisation for indigenous peoples targeting people living in the Dimapur and Wokha districts with no or very limited access to diabetes health care and limited diabetes and diabetic foot awareness. The project therefore has a very strong poverty focus.

The activities planned are:

Raising awareness of diabetes and foot complications among indigenous peoples through one day events at village-level. Here information on diabetes, reasons and risks for developing diabetes and self-management will be shared broadly, including the need for regular foot care to avoid complications.

Detecting at-risk persons at awareness events and diabetes screenings. Those diagnosed with diabetes, including severe foot ulcers, will be referred to district and state general hospitals.

Building the capacity of doctors and community health workers by teaching them about prevention, care and management of diabetes and foot complications.

Establishing diabetes clinics to facilitate and improve care, treatment and management of diabetes, including foot complications.

Results at completion

450 awareness camps held in 379 villages, 67,500 people of indigenous origin reached
27,762 at-risk people screened for diabetes and detected cases referred
150 health care professionals trained in diabetes and diabetic foot care
Six diabetes clinics with capacity for diabetic foot-care established
7,886 people served by the six clinics
578 people with diabetes foot complications treated at the clinics.