The World Diabetes Foundation (WDF) took the opportunity during the recent Caribbean NCD Forum to announce its support for the OECS Diabetes Prevention and Care Project WDF17-1555 in the amount of US$400,000. The main aim of the project is to reach out to the diabetes community and general population with messages and activities aimed at changing the way people eat and move to improve health. The project will also train health workers on updated guidelines as well as support the development of an OECS diabetes registry. The OECS Health Unit in collaboration with CARPHA (Caribbean Public Health Agency) and WINDREF (Windward Islands Research and Education Foundation) will work with the Ministries of Health NCD focal points, NCD Commissions and National Diabetes Associations to execute the project.
Beneficiary Countries
Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Objectives
To roll-out the first stages of national diabetes/NCD responses in five small islands states of the Eastern Caribbean region.
Approach
This regional small island states programme is coordinated by the OECS health unit and implemented at country level by health authorities and other key local/regional stakeholders through following activities:
- Establishing of a country level steering group in each of the five island states, headed by the MoH NCD Unit, through which implementation and monitoring plans will be developed and frequent coordination meetings take place; OECS will ensure overall coordination and data collection, funds management of WDF grant towards each country, etc.
- Training of HCPs of different categories within diabetes/NCDs, based on updated training programme, guidelines and protocol, and strengthening of patient registers (integrated with existing HMIS), targeting main hospitals/clinics on the islands.
- Update and reproduce various communication and education material on diabetes/NCDs and provide these to trained HCPs and involved diabetes associations and other civil society groups.
- Roll-out of large-scale awareness and health promotion activities across communities, at workplaces, at places of worship, and at schools, mainly through diabetes associations/civil society, and with linkages to the health system capacity building. These activities will hence also include patient/household-level support whereby diet, nutrition, care adherence and prevention will be supported at micro-level.
Expected results
- 50 physicians and 150 nurses trained, together with up to 20 senior level HCPs and 80 additional HCPsand at least 20 diabetes association members.
- Four diabetes/NCD clinics established or strengthened on each island (20 clinics) whereby majority of the populations (600,000 people) would have improved access to diabetes/NCD care.