1. Awareness programs in the workplace

Around 50% of people having diabetes do not even know about it! However, poorly controlled diabetes or a pre-diabetic state causes immediate repercussions on performance of employees: tiredness, decrease in productivity, absenteeism, frequent replacements needed for the absentee. APSA proposes a solution through its health services in companies.

a. Screening session

APSA provides diabetes screening to the staff (such as glycaemia test, blood pressure and waist circumference). Our team comprised of registered nurses, health care assistants’ educators and dietitians are present to intervene and answer the queries from the employees. Furthermore, each employee receives a confidential ‘carnet de santé’ with their results which can be used other 5 years when visiting a doctor or going to the hospital. A global statistic report is given to the HR Manager.

b. Awareness session

We also conduct an awareness session on « diabetes, its risks and complications ». This session is done by APSA’s Head of Education and Prevention and a dietitian. Different themes are being addressed such as symptoms and complications of diabetes, healthy eating, doing physical exercises amongst others. The session lasts for 1h15 minutes.

c. Foot care caravan

Our Foot Care Caravan can also be present in an enterprise to provide foot assessments and foot care education to the staff. In addition, a podiatrist also give a general presentation on the importance of taking care of the feet when we are diabetics.
Over the past years, we have provide this service to more than 80 companies. Please feel free to contact us if you need more information.

2. World Health Organisation (WHO) Black River Project

In September 2018, APSA had the privilege to be sponsored by the World Health Organisation (OMS) to run a project among the vulnerable population of the west region of the Island, to provide screening and diabetes education in collaboration with other regional NGOs such as Le Pont du Tamarinier, Kolektif Rivier Nwar amongst others.

The Project provided diabetic foot assessments and education sessions on diabetes and cardiovascular diseases as well as nutritional workshops. At the onset of the programme, a large community screening was done on the football field in Black River.

The objective of this project was mainly to prevent both primary and secondary complications related to diabetes. We mainly targeted the underprivileged population. The persons at risk were re-directed to the local branch of APSA at Rivière Noire for follow-up which contributed greatly to the sustainability of the project.

3. World Diabetes Day

World Diabetes Day (WDD) was created in 1991 by International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in response to growing concerns about the escalating health threat posed by diabetes. It is marked every year on 14 November, the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who co-discovered insulin along with Charles Best in 1922. The World Diabetes Day campaign focuses each year on a specific theme and the 2020 theme is “The Nurse and Diabetes”.

Every year APSA celebrates the World Diabetes Day. We usually organise a public screening, and other awareness session on diabetes where we can target hundreds of persons of all ages. The medical and non-medical staff are all present on that day to make this event a success. The objective of organising the World Diabetes Day is to educate people on TYPE 2 Diabetes and its complications but also to raise awareness on this disease. It is also a means to showcase the different activities of APSA so as the public can benefit the services.

4. APSA intervention in Botswana alongside the Ministry of Health and local NGOs

In July 2019, following a request by the International Association ‘Humana People to People’ and in collaboration with the Ministry of Health of Botswana, Véronique La Hausse (Program Consultant) , and Kamla Pandoo (Head of Education and Prevention) travelled to Botswana to train paramedical staff from clinics located in the regions of Ramotswa and Gaborone.

Let’s be reminded that Botswana is an African country with a high prevalence of diabetes. With the use of the booklet “Learn to Control Cardiovascular Risks”, the team conducted training sessions to empower the community agents of HPP as well as nursing staffs to conduct education sessions among the diabetic population.

The aim of this patient education is to empower them to adopt a healthy lifestyle to avoid complications. It is not the first time that APSA has conducted this type of project. In past years, several missions were carried out in other African countries with the collaboration of the World Diabetes Foundation.

5. World Diabetes Foundation

From 2007 to 2017, APSA International has had the privilege to implement diabetes programs in Burundi, Zimbabwe and Botswana, with the support of the World Diabetes Foundation, alongside our main stakeholders such as the Ministry of Health and various local NGO’s. The aim of these program was to enhance the National Diabetes Program and build the capacity of the Health Care Providers in diabetes care and managements

Zimbabwe project from 2014 – 2017
Project budget: USD 888.181
WDF contribution: USD 298.036,05

Objective
The objective is to improve diabetes care in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, by establishing clinics and training health care personnel in diabetes management, prevention of foot care and education of patients.

Approach
Association pour la Promotion de la Santé (APSA) International will be working under the umbrella of Health, Education, Food Security Organization (HEFO), a local non-governmental organization. Whilst this will be a joint partnership, APSA will be the main focal point handling the project implementation in the district of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe with its main stakeholder The Bulawayo District Health Service.

Project outcome:

  • 6580 people screened for diabetes
  • 19 referral diabetes clinics established
  • 200 diabetes awareness posters placed in 19 clinics
  • 124 HCPs trained in advanced diabetes management
  • 62 HCPs attended an advanced foot care training
  • 641 diabetes patients received foot examination
  • 123 HCPs trained in diabetic wound management

Read more: https://www.worlddiabetesfoundation.org/projects/zimbabwe-wdf13-801

Botswana project from 2010 – 2013
Project budget: USD 961.500
WDF contribution: USD 510,000

In April 2010 APSA International Botswana signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ministry of Health of Botswana to implement a 3-year project to improve diabetes care and diabetic foot complication in Botswana. The project was funded by the World Diabetes Foundation with a grant of USD 510,000.

Objective
The aim of this project is to improve prevention and management of diabetes and its complications by developing a community health educational network for people with diabetes and by establishing foot care clinics.

Approach
In collaboration with the Ministry of Health of Botswana, and the local diabetes association, this project wishes to establish an organised network of health professionals and community workers to support people with diabetes and people at risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

The project will be implemented in 2 referral hospitals, 6 district hospitals, 1 heart clinic and 1 local association. The aim is to create a holistic approach to diabetes management and prevention, comprising doctors, nurses, pharmacists, nutritionists, podiatrists and other health care professionals, enabling them to identify high risk individuals and prevent devastating long-term complications.

Project outcome: 


  • 8 clinics have been strengthened and equipped with foot care kits
  • 123 nurses and 41 doctors trained in foot care out of which 18 nurses and 7 doctors have participated in advanced Step-by-Step foot care training
  • 60 doctors, 188 nurses and 39 paramedical staff have been trained in diabetes management
  • Approximately 4,000 patients have received treatment through the 8 clinics
  • 8,433-foot consultations have been conducted reaching approximately 4,000 diabetes patients
  • 3,140 patients have been trained on reducing cardiovascular risk.

Read more: https://www.worlddiabetesfoundation.org/projects/botswana-wdf08-394

Burundi project from 2007 – 2010
Project budget: USD 291.777
WDF contribution: USD 255.698


Objective
The project aims to implement coordinated education and training activities targeting people at risk of or already diagnosed with diabetes.

Approach
The project is a multi-partner intervention. Implementation is led by APSA International in collaboration with the organisation Diabète au Logis, diabetes association’s ALUDIA and APREPRIDA, the private clinic CELUCODIA.

  • In total, diabetes care capacity will be strengthened in 23 health centres, which prior to the project did not offer diabetes care. Initially, a database is established to enable registration of patients, professionals, structures and partner centres. One purpose of this is to obtain better knowledge of the prevalence of diabetes in Burundi.
  • A total of 30 community diabetes educators will be trained to deliver health education and promotion sessions in the communities.
  • The health education session will initially be carried out in the urban area of Bujumbura. The trained educators will each lead a weekly group session with participation of around 6 people with or at-risk of diabetes. Focus will be on management of diabetes, cardiovascular risk, diet and physical activity with an emphasis on the social and cultural contexts of the target groups.
  • Participants are identified through a detection and screening programme. It is expected that 3,000 people will be screened each year and out of these 1,000 will participate in the health education sessions.
  • In parallel, 60 doctors and 60 nurses from government health care facilities and NGOs will undertake a 3-day training course on provision of basic diabetes care. Training includes awareness of diabetes, early symptoms, long term as well as short term complications and treatment.
  • Upon completion of the training, the doctors and nurses will function as reference contacts in their respective health care facilities and will also be able to conduct screening for diabetes.

Project outcome

  • 71 doctors and 66 nurses trained on diabetes detection and basic care
  • 30 diabetes educators trained to deliver health education to the target group
  • 3,100 people with diabetes or at-risk of diabetes included in the education programme (modules 1, 2 and 3)
  • Approximately 2,584 people screened for diabetes

Read more: https://www.worlddiabetesfoundation.org/projects/burundi-wdf07-249