Spreading hope through strengthened relations, Nicaragua

Objectives

The project aims to help reduce the risk of new cases of type 2 diabetes and its complications affecting the quality of life, in the general population in the Municipality of León, Department of León, Nicaragua.

Approach

Vision Inclusiva is a local NGO responsible for the project, while the roles of implementation, training, technical support, monitoring and evaluation are shared with the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, Nicaragua Public Health Association and Nicaragua Association of Diabetology.

The project targets the municipality of León, the third largest urban area of Nicaragua with a total population of 204,000.

These are the planned activities:

A local project implementation committee will be established consisting of representatives from the stakeholder group and the local health authorities. Then, health centre staff and students of medicine at UNAN in Léon will be mobilised to prepare the interventions.

Patient education will be strengthened through new ‘diabetes clubs’ that will operate out of the targeted health centres. People who are already known to have diabetes will be provided with resources and tuition and take part in various activities.

Also, an awareness raising campaign and other activities such as media broadcasts and local partnerships will be implemented as part of the project activities.

The capacity building of the health system will focus on the three main urban health centres of Leon which will be targeted through continuous trainings based on existing protocols and guidelines under UNAN medical faculty, and through provision of basic equipment.

Finally, the impact and outcome will be monitored through pre- and post-intervention surveys and through inclusion of diabetes into the UNAN research agenda. Here the 3rd/4th year medicine students will be studying clinical impact, quality of care, complications etc.

Results at completion

5 new diabetes clubs
325 health care professionals trained with emphasis on the targeted health care centres
3 urban health centres provided with basic equipment
5,591 people with diabetes receive improved access to care, referral mechanism strengthened
1,172,047 persons reached through awareness campaigns (4 awareness activity camps, 4 TV spots and 3 radio programs)
Pre/post survey was implemented and reports prepared