The overall objective of the project is improve diabetes prevention and care in the Bolnisi, Dmanisi, Tetritskaro and Tsalka districts of Kvemo Kartli region of Georgia. The objectives of the project focus on primary prevention of diabetes and secondary prevention in terms of prevention of complications. Finally, the project will seek to strengthen collaboration with national stakeholders and key decision makers in order to advocate for better diabetes prevention and care.
The project will improve access to diabetes care through development of training guidelines in consultation with health authorities for health care professionals for the management of diabetes. It will build the capacity of Georgian Red Cross volunteers and community volunteers in terms of screening, prevention, behaviour change and referral of diabetes patients. Secondly, it will improve access to diabetes care (screening, patient education, treatment of complications and referral of patients with complications) through a) capacity building of doctors (GPs, endocrinologists and obstetricians) in diabetes management and care and b) deployment of health mobile unit in villages without health facilities. Extensive community awareness campaigns will be rolled out incl. community events, door-to-door visits to detect people at risk, and media campaigns. The project will establish diabetes self-support groups for new and known diabetes patients, facilitated by trained Georgian Red Cross Society volunteers. The groups will be assisted with regard to self-management of diabetes. Links will be made between the groups and the primary health care facilities.National and local authorities, CSOs and media will be sensitised on diabetes in order to advocate for better access to health services and care for diabetes patients.
229 Red Cross volunteers and 1160 community volunteers trained in diabetes screening and prevention (training-of-trainers model)115 doctors trained in diabetes prevention and care236 communities (estimated 100,000 people) reached through multiple awareness raising activities and receive enhanced access to diabetes care50,175 people screened for diabetes risk factors, 38,532 at risk residents screened for diabetes and those diagnosed referred for further diagnostic procedures 4,361 people diagnosed and provided with care and 2,498 people with complications receive relevant care. Round table meetings for national and local health authority entities, CSOs and media held 236 self-support patients groups consisting of 3,543 people with diabetes and 2,834 family members established, and linked to targeted clinics or mobile unit for care