Due to the increase of number of patient diagnosed and admitted due to Diabetes as among of the complications of Non-communicable diseases, the department of Internal Medicine recognized the need of include Diabetes screening and community education on its Comprehensive Hospital Operational Planning activity.

The Activity took place at Uhuru Secondary School, RC Hall-Shinyanga and Soko Kuu Bus stand-Shinyanga and it was conducted for 7days.

The main objectives of this activity was to increase community awareness on Diabetes and other Non-communicable diseases due to the increase number of people/patient diagnosed and admitted due to Diabetes and its related complications.
Other objective was to screen for Non-communicable diseases and discover it in its early stages so as to intervene and prevent complications related to NCD’s.

World Diabetes Day Activity was carried out for 7 days, on 6th of November 2024 we screened for NCD’s to 22 staffs and offered Health education about NCD’s to 750 students at Uhuru Secondary School, on 8th November 2024 at RC Hall we screened 25 staffs and offered Health Education on NCD’s to 50 staffs working at RC office and from 12th -16th of November 2024 at Soko Kuu Bus Stand we screened and offered health educations on NCD’s to 644 people respectively at Shinyanga Municipal.

The Activity was conducted on the week of World Diabetes Day with its peak day of 14th November 2024.The activity included community education, screening and counselling for those who were already diagnosed and on treatment.

The Target was to Educate 1000 people about Diabetes and other NCD’s and screen at least 500 people which was achieved whereby total of 1419 people educated on Diabetes and other NCD’s face to face, 644 were screened for NCD’s, 157 client has Obesity, 198 client has over weight,10 people has underweight, 260 has High blood pressure, 45 has Pre-Diabetes, 39 has Diabetes, 74 newly diagnosed Hypertension cases, 27 newly diagnosed DM cases.

Those who were diagnosed to have Obesity, Hypertension and Diabetes were counselled and advised to attend at Medical outpatient department (MOPD) clinic for further investigations and possible initiation of treatment and follow ups. However, those whose Blood sugar and blood pressure was severely elevated was given stat dose medications.

The activity ended by screening 644 people who shared their opinions as follows;

I. ‘To increase the number of days for screening from 5 days to at least 7 days.’’
II. ‘To increase more effort on community awareness/education on non-communicable diseases.’’
III. ‘Public announcement to be more broad to reach more audience’’
IV. ‘To include other services like Renal, heart, dental, physiotherapy and mental health education during non-communicable disease week.’’
V. ‘The outreach programs to be conducted at least quarterly per year’’.
VI. ‘The education and services offered were excellence’’

The information about World Diabetes Day activity was shared on various media platforms including live radio broadcasting session which was covered by Dr. Luzila J Boshi at JamboFM Radio on 14th November 2024 and Dr. Neema L Mmassy at FarajaFM Radio on 11th November 2024, MISALABA blog, Shinyanga Press Club, SRRH Instagram/WhatsApp page and also Activity was Shared Internationally on World Diabetes Day website.

The Activity was successfully conducted and we managed to Educate 1419 directly and screen 644 people, positive feedback was received and participants requested more similar activity which involves health education to increase community awareness on non-communicable diseases.

Acknowledgement

Our deepest gratitude to Dr. Luzila J. Boshi, Medical Officer In-charge at SRRH for the permission to conduct activity on World Diabetes Day. Special thanks to Mr. George Mganga Public relation officer for his aesthetic work and media coverage throughout the activity, also we acknowledge Sr. Leah Brown Health Secretary for her support and all member of procurement department for their support on logistic issues and all staff of SRRH who participated on the activity and made it possible.

Organizer: SHINYANGA REGIONAL REFERRAL HOSPITAL

Event website: www.shinyangarrh.go.tz

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