Information to project tomorrow - Today is future

Aim

Participate in our Campaign and awareness creation on Diabetics Risk Factors, prevention and control within the Kanifing Municipal Council.

This intervention aims to Empower young School-going children and communities with up-to-date knowledge on Diabetics Risk Factors, signs and symptoms and ways to prevent this silent killer disease. We are requesting D 350,000 in financial assistance over two years to pilot this in the mentioned regions. We anticipate you will join us with our strategic partners Regional Education office, Health Promotion Office, and National Nutrition Agency in implementing this important project.

Needs Identification

Diabetics prevalence by population 0 to 79 yrs 1.9% type 1 or 2 in 2021. Diabetics an imperial cause of ill health and a risk factor for another disease in developed countries is spreading rapidly in developing countries highest among the elderly, and prevalence rates are rising among the younger and more productive populations in developing countries. Economic development has led to the spread of western lifestyles and diets to developing nations resulting in a substantial increase in diabetics, without effective prevention and control programs, Diabetics a Silent Killer will likely continue to increase.

Justification

Diabetes is increasingly becoming a public health problem in developing countries like The Gambia. Prevention of Diabetics and appropriate management of the disease largely depends on the correct knowledge of the risk factors, and the signs and symptoms of the disease.

However studies that have assessed knowledge of diabetics at the population level are limited .2019 – 2020 Gambia Demographic and health survey data was used to analyse Men's and Women's knowledge of diabetics in two folds, Diabetics risk factors and Diabetics signs and symptoms among 4, 436 men and 6, 1186 women. From a generalized estimating equation model to test the association between the selected sociodemographic factors signs and symptoms 7.6% men and 3.1% men and 1.2% women on risk factors. With these shocking statistics on the low level of knowledge especially the risk factors, there is an immediate need for intervention to bridge the gap for effective prevention and control.

Our Intended intervention aimed to empower and educate the School going population and administrative school structures for early dissemination of knowledge on Diabetics Risk factors, signs and symptoms and prevention methods from an early stage to prepare households with independent decisions on healthy living to prevent the high effect of the silent killer. Furthermore, communities through existing community structures will be empowered with up-to-date knowledge on Diabetics risk factors, signs and symptoms and prevention methods through the participative approach. 5 schools shall be targeted as a pilot, 10 Teacher coordinators and a total of 800 students to be reached with up-to-date information on diabetics’ risk factors, identification and prevention mentions.

At community levels with existing structures and partnerships with the Health Promotion Unit, National Nutrition Agency, community volunteers and the Regional Education office, standard manual and pictorial dialogues will be used to disseminate information on Risk factors, signs and symptoms and prevention methods using popular learning strategies locally to promote ownership and independent decision making in the fight against Diabetics. A total of 10 communities will be reached with a target of 1000 community members to be sensitized on up-to-date information on diabetics’ risk factors, signs and symptoms and prevention methods. This outcome shall be monitored by spot visits, coordinating community sensitization with the trained community focal persons who will further be reported on periodically to measure results with time.

All the mentioned activities shall be monitored, and supervised in different ways ranging from, spot visits questionnaires, and Monthly reporting templates to measure outcomes at different levels.

This project closed unsuccessfully on 29th March 2023