Diabetes programme launched

A programme to improve diagnosis and management of people with diabetes in Papua New Guinea has been launched.
It has been initiated by Hope Worldwide (PNG) in partnership with, Hope Worldwide (Australia) National Department of Health (NDoH), Diabetic Association of PNG and experts from the Cairns Base Hospital.
The programme,  called ‘Development of diabetes services in Papua New Guinea’,  is funded by the World Diabetes Foundation and the grant period is for three years commencing in April this year.
According to HOPE Worldwide, the project was aimed at improving diabetic health care delivery in PNG and also specifically benefit thousands of people with diabetes in high risk communities.
The programme aims to bring about outcomes such as:
* Physicians and nurses across the country trained in diabetes prevention, diagnosis and management; 
* Enhanced capacity, effectiveness and penetration of diabetes services; 
* Production and distribution of national diabetes education materials and implementation of national treatment guidelines; 
* Development of a resource centre  with a website and distribution system; 
* Establishment of three community education programmes with primary prevention; and
* Greater public awareness and greater impact of the Diabetic association of PNG.
As part of the training, 18workshops will be conducted.
The workshops are in two groups of nine.
The nine are three workshops in Port Moresby, one in Central province and the other five in Rabaul, Manus, Alotau, Goroka and Lae or Madang.
A follow-up workshop will be conducted again in each of these sites.
The diabetes programme is one of the newly-introduced programmes within the NGO. The programme started in 2006 with the national prevalence study on diabetes and other non-communicable diseases which was funded by the World Health Organisation.
“This is the initial stage of the project, in which we have delivered a computer, printer and table to Dr Lloyd Ipai’s office at the Port Moresby General Hospital; and later to the Koki Clinic, which are the main ports,” Hope’s diabetes health educator Augustine Kose said.
“We also have initial workshops to draft the latest version of national treatment guidelines, management and other which have been conducted in July and attended by the physicians and nurses around the country.”
Mr Kose told The National that they had already purchased two HbA1c machines which were very expensive and unique.
“They will be given to the Port Moresby General Hospital and the Koki Clinic for blood screening,” he said.
“We want to make an appeal to the general public and the health workers to look after such equipment, which are very expensive and could not be afforded by the government.”