According to the IDF, 3 out of 4 diabetics live in the developing world . In Nigeria, there are about 170 million people and the prevalence of diabetes ranges from 0.8%-10.3% as there are no firm statistics. The prevalence of diabetes foot complications in Nigeria is estimated between 8.3%-19% and amputation rate could be as high as 53.2% in some areas because patients come too late to the clinics for treatment and the health care personnel are not trained in prevention and management of diabetes foot complications. Complications of diabetes such as diabetic foot have very high costs and as the Nigerian health system is not geared towards dealing with diabetes and it’s complications, the expenditure often end up being paid by the patients. In Nigeria, there is a general lack of health care personnel with adequate education and training in management of diabetes and diabetic foot problems. Furthermore, patients with diabetes are not aware of self-care and prevention of foot complications. Therefore this project intends to focus on improving access to quality diabetes and diabetes foot care for the underserved communities in the 6 area councils in the Federal Capital Territory. ObjectivesTo enhance access to diabetic foot care in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) / Abuja.
To improve the quality of care diabetes foot care clinics will be established within health care facilities where basic diabetes care is already available. The clinics will be established across the six administrative areas of the FCT, Abuja. In the attemps to enhance the capacity of health care personnel to prevent and treat diabetes foot complications, teams consisting of a nurse, a doctor and a surgeon will be trained in the prevention and management of diabetes foot complications. In order to detect diabtes patients with - or at risk of - foot complications, screening of diabetes patients for foot complications will be rolled out. Patients with feet at risk will be followed through treatment by trained diabetes teams and referral to tertiary health care facilities for treatment if required. The project will further enhance the capacity of future generations of health care personnel through upgrading of the curriculum for medical students at the College of Health Science, University of Abuja to include prevention and management of diabetes foot complications. In order to raise awareness, media campaigns (newspaper, radio and TV) will be rolled out across Nigeria.
25 doctors trained in diabetes foot care and prevention 20 nurses trained in diabetes foot care and prevention 25 surgeons trained in diabetes foot care and prevention 20 clinics strengthened to provide diabetes foot care and prevention 4,255 patients screened and 988 patients diagnosed with diabetes related foot problems 510 patients provided with free of charge special shoes or insolesAmputation rates reduced from 50% to 10% at the University of Abuja Teaching HospitalAwareness raising through newspaper articles, weekly radio spots and two national TV programsAdvocacy efforts by the project partner has contributed to a) diabetes foot care and prevention is now part of the curriculum for medical students at the University of Abuja and further prevention and management of diabetes foot has been included in the National Guidelines on Diabetes Management.