“ I would have been dead without ARD’s help, my knowledge about diabetes saved me, before I was desperate and use to have accidents which I did not know the causes and since I was educated, I manage diabetes better, I feel confident, healthier and I can work” witnessed a patient educated using Diabetes Conversation MAP in Rwanda.

Diabetes as an incurable diseases with long term complications, has to be well known by a diabetes patients hence learning to live with it 24hours a day. To avoid complications, it is therefore important and crucial as far as possible for a diabetic to have knowledge about diabetes in order to adopt an appropriate life style

To make it happen, Rwanda diabetes Association (ARD) has stepped up effort to help diabetes patients through teaching so as to enhance their knowledge about diabetes disease; as well as improving their welfare

METHODOLOGY USED

Normally within ARD’s responsibilities, education and training about diabetes are priorities and it is done on a daily basis, it is therefore out of this ARD makes a lot efforts for its personnel being trained as well as health professionals from different hospitals in the country, so that it reaches as many as possible patients across the country. Our aim is to inform and educate the best diabetes self follow-up and self management.

Two educators from ARD, Ugirumurera Anne-Marie and Mukamazimpaka Alivera were selected to be trained on Diabetes Conversation Map in Uganda, test, fostering more on diabetes education through the use of the new tool of diabetes education Conversation map tool. The two expert educators on Conversation MAP tool trained other educators in ARD’s staff and this knowledge is kept shared in Rwanda through hospitals.

Here are the names of hospitals the Conversation MAP tool is being used to educate patients after the educators trained the nurses:

Ruhengeri hospital,  Nyanza hospital, CS Nyanza, Muhororo hospital, Kibungo hospital, Shyira, Kabaya Gisenyi, Gitwe hospital, Nemba , Ruli hospitals, Ngarama, Clinique iramiro and Muhororo, Gisenyi ,CHUB

By now 470 diabetes have been educated and 520 youth with diabetes type 1

This work have been accomplished through our partners’ cooperation, namely IDF, Eli Lily, the Ministry of Health and the above mentioned hospitals, by availing nurses as to enable them to participate in this activity.

ARD faced a number of challenges during this action including limited budget, and the fact that the trained nurses delay in reporting results, which enables to know how successful made it.

OUR VISION

Our vision is to extend the program country wide, hospitals, health centers and homes. The more people we reach, the more we save.