Access to sufficient medicine, treatment and care of diabetes is scarce in Pakistan and consequently many children die prematurely or experience severe complications early in life.Awareness of diabetes has recently begun to increase in Pakistan. However, type 2 diabetes receives most of this attention due to its higher prevalence than type 1 diabetes. This limited focus on type 1 diabetes impairs the essential education of children with type 1 diabetes which leads to poor management with crucial consequences for these children.The aim of the project is to establish a comprehensive management of type 1 diabetes to prevent acute and chronic complications.
Baqai Institute of Diabetology and Endocrinology (BIDE) has taken the initiative to implement this project based on funding support from the World Diabetes Foundation.BIDE has substantial local knowledge and experience in working with diabetes and have already trained more than 220 doctors in diabetes centres in other areas of Pakistan and are running a one year diabetes educator course. However, due to the limited focus on type 1 diabetes, there is a considerable need for development of a structured standardised care protocol for type 1 patients which will be done under this project.Initially, 30 clinics in the Sindh Province in Pakistan will be established. The clinics will function as a base for education of children with type 1 diabetes and their families. Each clinic will be allocated a doctor and an educator specially trained in diabetes education.30 doctors will be trained in basic and clinical aspects of type 1 diabetes together with care provision and management during a three-day workshop. Doctors with a postgraduate diploma in diabetes from Baqai Medical University will be selected for the training. The doctors will be responsible for supervising the planned activities at each centre, but still collaborate closely with the head office in Karachi, the capital of Sindh.In continuation, the newly trained doctors will train 30 educators during a one day training course. The training will be conducted with special emphasis on management and education of type 1 diabetes and thereby enabling the educators to assist the doctors in educating the patients.BIDE have previously established an electronic database consisting of around 20,000 diabetes patients, and will now expand this registry to also involve information about patients with type 1 diabetes. This is expected to improve the management of diabetes and in addition, it will enhance follow-up and evaluation of patients visiting the clinic. The registry will also serve the purpose of gaining knowledge of the prevalence of type 1 diabetes in Sindh.Children with type 1 diabetes and their families will be encouraged to participate in education sessions conducted by doctors and educators in order to strengthen their self-management skills and encourage them in maintaining good control. Part of the education will consist of education material in local languages (Urdu and Sindhi) developed by doctors and educators. 300,000 school teachers will be using the education material in combination with a website to create awareness and improve knowledge about diabetes and in particular type 1 diabetes. Through the website, school teachers can get access to online educational material, but the website is also aimed at the community in general.Finally, in order to create awareness of type 1 diabetes in the community, an awareness camp will be conducted every second month at all 30 clinics. Moreover, a media campaign and special events during the World Diabetes Day will be organised in order to bring type 1 diabetes into focus.
- 34 clinics established - 27 local doctors were trained - 28 local educators were trained - 1957 children were educated - 318,600 teachers educated - 654 awareness camps conducted- 23,540 people reached through awareness camps- 1,957 chilren were screened for type 1 diabetes - 6,823 Insulin vials distributed