With prevalence rates ranging from 7-25%, diabetes is reaching pandemic proportions in the Middle East.Iran is no exception. In 1998 the highest prevalence in Iran was 16.3% - a number that is expected to have increased significantly during the past decade.Complications such as diabetic foot problems arising as a result of diabetes have put a social and financial pressure on Iran. Therefore, controlling diabetes and its complications have become an important priority.The project seeks to improve diabetes foot care and decrease the number of amputations in 7 provinces of Iran.
Due to the pressure that diabetes places on the Iranian government the Ministry of Health has decided to support the Endocrinology & Metabolism Research Centre in its efforts to improve diabetes foot care.Nine foot care clinics will be established in 7 provinces with high prevalence rates of diabetes. The provinces covered are: Tehran, Tabriz, Boushehr, Ishafan, Mashhad, Shiraz and Yazd - 3 clinics in Tehran and 1 in each of the other provinces.The foot care clinics will be established within existing diabetes care facilities to ensure full integration of services and they are expected to provide primary foot care and education to patients with diabetes to prevent and ease the onset of diabetic foot problems. The staff of the clinics will receive comprehensive training on diabetic foot care and preventing foot complications and appropriate equipment packages will be provided for the functioning of the clinics.Apart from building the capacity for diabetic foot care in the established clinics, the project further seeks to increase the awareness among health care professionals dealing with people with diabetes in general. Approximately 2,000 health care professionals will be trained in the management of diabetic foot problems. Each centre will organise these courses on a monthly basis.At the clinics, an estimated number of 6,000 people with diabetes will be educated on different aspects of diabetes foot care. The educational sessions will be conducted weekly and are expected to capacitate the patients to avoid foot complications as well as increase public awareness on issues related to diabetic foot problems.The improved awareness and care are expected to prevent the onset of diabetic foot problems and decrease the number of amputations.WDF also supports a project seeking to improve diabetes care in Iran through establishment of diabetes clinics in 30 provinces, WDF07-282.
- 7 Diabetic Foot Clinics were founded- 7200 patients were educated - 3240 healthcare providers were trained