Collaboration required for "BIDE-WDF Type 1 Diabetes Project" in Sindh, Pakistan

Dear Doctors,

Many children worldwide die every year from diabetes. Unfortunately, the majority of children with Type1 diabetes living in developing countries do not have access to the standardized care along with life-saving medicines. As a result, they become chronically unwell and are prone to life-threatening episodes of ketoacidosis or hypoglycemia. Many die quickly; others develop severe complications such as kidney failure, blindness and nerve damage. Frequently, those who do survive drop out of school, have difficulty in getting a job or finding a marriage partner, and are unable to support themselves as adults. Without our help, these children have a bleak future.

 

A recent study in Pakistan (Trends of Type 1 Diabetes in Karachi, Pakistan. PediatricsDiabetes, 2008) by our institution to assess the mode of presentation and prevalence of acute and chronic complications in T1DM, revealed a very high complication rate (Type 1 diabetic subjects with > 10 years of diabetes, 42.3% were hypertensive, 20% had nephropathy, 17.2% had neuropathy and 25% had developed retinopathy).

 

Diabetes is a major public health problem in Pakistan, and one of the reasons is inefficient health care system. 38% children under the age of 5 years are malnourished, 7 million children aged 5 to 9 years are out of the education system and Pakistan's education indicators are the worst in South Asia. The monthly expenditure of an average Pakistani household in 2004-05 was 9,121 rupees (114 USD) while the cost of insulin vial on an average for a type 1 diabetic subject is around 1000 rupees (12.5 USD).

 

Baqai Institute of Diabetology and Endocrinology (BIDE) has been striving for better diabetic care since more than a decade. Further to our ongoing efforts, we are now pleased to inform that World Diabetes Foundation (WDF) has approved partial funding for our project titled "Integrated and Comprehensive Management of children / people with type 1 diabetes to prevent complications in a low resource society of Sindh Pakistan".

 

 SALIENT FEATURES OF THE PROJECT:

1. Providing standardised care through thirty Type 1 Diabetic Model Centrescovering all districts of Sindh.
2. Training of thirty BIDE affiliated Doctors all over the province of Sindh, already having post graduate diploma in Diabetes
3. Training of thirty local Diabetes educators all over  the province of Sindh
4. Designing educational material in local languages (urdu & sindhi) for type 1 diabetic subjects
5. Development of software database
6. Media campaign involving electronic and print media
7. Create awareness in the teachers of schools regarding type 1 diabetes
8. Establishment of INSULIN BANK for free and regular supply of insulin for non-affording Type 1 diabetic patients all over the province of Sindh.
9. Provision of Glucometer and medical supplies free of cost for type 1 diabetic patients.
10. Developing awareness in people; about diabetes, its impact on the life of patients, and their role in reducing the complications of diabetes

PROJECT TEAM:

Professor Yakoob Ahmadani; Principal Investigator

Dr. Ashar Fawwad; Co-Investigator

Dr. S. Maqsood Mohiuddin; Project Coordinator

Departmental representatives from IT, Diet & Education, and HR,

BIDE trained doctors at 30 diabetic clinics all over province of Sindh.

Diabetes Educators at 30 diabetic clinics all over province of Sindh

 

The BIDE hereby invite you to participate in our project. We believe that we can work together in a number of ways to accomplish these goals.

 

Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information.

 

 

Sincerely

 

Dr. Syed Maqsood Mohiuddin
Project Coordinator,
BIDE-WDF Project for Type 1 Diabetes
Baqai Institute of Diabetology & Endocrinology
Plot No. 1-2, II-B, Block 2, Nazimabad, Karachi-74600
Phone: 92 21 36688897, 92 21 36608565, 92 21 36707179
Fax: 92 21 6608568