Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a serious condition during pregnancy that can have severe consequences for the mother and the unborn baby. The women and child are furthermore at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Awareness, screening and treatment can reduce the worst consequences of GDM significantly. Many women and health care workers are ignorant of this condition and most women are therefore never screened. Yet, it can be life-threatening for both the woman and the baby during pregnancy and delivery. With inspiration from the successful implementation of two projects in Tamil Nadu, WDF04-067 and WDF08-312, where antenatal women are being screened for GDM, this project was developed to initiate a similar program in Punjab state in North India.
Professor Seshiah’s Diabetes Care and Research Institute with funding and technical support from WDF managed to put gestational diabetes on the political agenda in Tamil Nadu. Subsequent initiatives from the WDF-funded project from Jagran Pehel WDF10-500 brought further attention to the issue in North India. Dr Geeti Arora and Deep Hospital in Punjab, India is now aiming at expanding this achievement to the Punjab State in the northern part of India. Knowledge about the consequences of GDM is poor in the northern states of India, even among health care workers. This project aims at changing this picture by training health care workers, screening pregnant women and organising awareness campaigns. By organising these initiatives the project expects to reduce the prevalence of women with gestational diabetes, reduce the complications of GDM and possibly future risk of diabetes type 2 for both the mother and the child. In the beginning of the project, 18 doctors from both private and public hospitals will be trained as trainers. They are expected to organise training sessions with focus on awareness, screening, diagnosis and care of GDM for various health care workers. More than 3,000 health care workers working with antenatal care will be trained. The health care workers will reach out to women living in urban, semi-urban and rural areas. In order to screen all women, screening will both be conducted in hospitals and via door-to-door services in rural areas. At least 5,000 pregnant women are expected to be screened, and if detected with GDM they will be enrolled in the GDM program organised by Deep Hospital. All women screened for GDM will receive counselling in life style changes and receive education material. Screening, education and care are expected to reduce the risk of complications during pregnancy and delivery. Moreover, through awareness and lifestyle behaviour counselling the prevalence of GDM as well as risk of developing future diabetes type 2 is likely to be positively impacted hopefully contributing to stabilising and breaking the rising curve of diabetes in India. A team of one doctor and three health promoters will tour the state in a van and create awareness activities for the public. The van will be equipped with AV gear to show videos, followed by interactive activities like quizzes or games. They will also distribute education materials like pamphlets, booklets, posters and information kits to the participating women. Additionally, it is expected that the women receiving information on GDM prevention will share their acquired knowledge with family and friends and thereby disseminate the message of leading a healthy life and reducing the risk of diabetes.
• 225 doctors, 250 nurses, 170 nursing teachers, about 4,200 nursing students and around 3,600 paramedics broadly understood, have been trained in GDM diagnosis and care• 5,100 pregnant women have been screened for GDM• 551 women has been diagnosed with GDM (10.8%) and have been educated in prevention of type 2 diabetes• 180,000 people sensitised on DM and GDM in partnership with Jagran Pehel