Diabetes Schools Network for Strengthening Efforts in Prevention

ABOUT THE PROJECT
Diabetes Schools Network for Strengthening Efforts in Prevention
BACKGROUND
The diabetes represents a disease with a severe impact on public health. In 2015, at the world level, there were registered over 415 mln. people with diabetes, and towards 2040 it is estimated that this figure will reach 642 mln. The diabetes and its complications also represent one of the main death causes in the Republic of Moldova, being placed on the 7th place in the mortality structure. Annually, over 10 thousand people are identified with diabetes of which about 70 cases are among children.
Today, in our country over 100 thousand people are registered as having diabetes of which about 400 cases are among children. However, it is estimated that this figure is much higher because the rate of early detection of diabetes is very low, which leads to a late diagnosis of the disease, lack of monitoring and the occurrence of serious and irreversible complications.

Uncontrolled Diabetes leads to early disability and early lethality of the working population by the occurrence of late chronic complications: microangiopathies (retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy) and macroangiopathies (acute myocardial infarction, stroke, lower limb amputation). Every third person with blindness and renal insufficiency suffers from diabetes and 70% of cases of foot amputation are caused by this disease.

In the Republic of Moldova, the lack of endocrinologists in the rural area and specialised medical services available has led to the increase of diabetes complications including physical impairment and higher death rates, especially in rural population. The reduction in specialised services throughout the country necessitates the development of adequate knowledge and skills for primary care and public health workers and development of alternative programs, including educational ones, to address the health needs of the people at the first level of health assistance.

The proposed project aims at strengthening the capacities of rural professionals to work with people at risk and with diabetes patients in preventing the disease and its complications. Establishing the Schools of Diabetes Patient is an action coming to support the goals included in the National Plan for Prevention and Control of Diabetes for the period 2017-2021, especially which regards the information and training of population and health promotion.

THE GOAL

Capacity building of 42 National Diabetes Schools with the creation of a sustainable network that will ensure the sustainability of the activities of these structures, will adopt a strategy of continuous communication by periodically updating the information and knowledge regarding the education of the population.
The schools will be established in each territorial Centre of Public Health and will carry out information and training activities for the population, diabetes patients and people from risk groups from each district.
According to the Law no.10 of 03.02.2009 on state public health supervision, the competent authorities for public health surveillance are responsible for organizing and coordinating education in the field of health promotion, including the implementation of health promotion programs. Their tasks enable them to carry out their promotion and education activities throughout the district, to apply an intersectoral approach involving actors outside the health system, which have an important contribution to solving public health problems at the local level.

THE ACTIVITIES
The project foresees to strengthen the training capacities of Public Health Centres through training of trainers, publishing of teaching materials for medical staff and development and dissemination of information materials for the population and diabetes patients.

The PRODIAB Association will provide methodological and informational support for the activities of Diabetes Patient Schools, which will strengthen the professional network at national level.

The project is carried out by the PRODIAB Association in partnership with the School of Public Health Management, with the support of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection.

The project is funded by the World Diabetes Foundation and has a duration of 2 years (2017-2019).