In many developing countries, children with diabetes suffer because insulin and other diabetes supplies are not affordable or sometimes not even available.
The International Diabetes Federation's Life for a Child Program supports the care of close to 1000 children in the following countries: Tanzania, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Azerbaijan, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Uzbekistan, Bolivia, Mali, Ecuador, Sudan and Cameroon.

Participants in the Life for a Child Program partially-sponsor the neediest children at diabetes centers in these countries. This sponsorship enables the children to receive the clinical care and diabetes education they need to stay alive. The centers provide thorough clinical and financial feedback.

The goals of the Program are to provide:
* Sufficient insulin and syringes
* Blood glucose monitoring facilities
* Appropriate clinical care
* HbA1c testing
* Diabetes education
* Technical support for health professionals (if requested)

Some centers need support for all these areas; others need support for some components.
Many children with diabetes in developing countries die soon after diagnosis. Many others face the burden of complications while still young. Life for a Child encourages governments to establish appropriate care to safeguard the future of children with diabetes.

Funds are donated by the International Diabetes Federation through sale of World Diabetes Day merchandizing, individuals, associations, Rotary International, and companies working in diabetes. Most individual donors contribute a dollar a day. Support is provided to recognized diabetes centers to purchase insulin and syringes, and provide monitoring and education. Financial trails and the health outcomes of the children are carefully monitored.
Our goal is to double the number of children supported by the end of 2008. Help us save children with diabetes. Donate online at http://www.lifeforachild.org/ or through the purchase of World Diabetes Day merchandize.
Source: www.lifeforachild.org
Disclaimer: All opinions and Information published here is for medical education only. It is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice. If you are a patient, please see your doctor for evaluation of your individual case. Under no circumstances will the authors be liable to you for any direct or indirect damages arising in connection with use of this website

School kids to get kits to detect diabetes early

This article was published in Times of India on Nov 12, 2008
After three months of falling ill constantly, a CBSE school student recently found that her blood sugar has caught up to 550

“The diagnosis that she was diabetic was made after three months. This goes to show that awareness about diabetes is very low in school. We want to try and turn this situation around,” said Dr Vijay Viswanathan, Head, MV hospital for Diabetes and Diabetes research centre, at the launch of ‘Slim and Fit’ program for students.

“Under this initiative, we will be distributing small kits worth Rs 1,500 to the 112 CBSE schools and 12 Kendriya Vidyalayas. Each kit will contain a glucometer and several educational charts explaining the symptoms of Type 1 diabetes and illustrating a food pyramid. We also have material to help teacher’s measure obesity in children. We will train school authorities on how they can use these kits,” he added.

The diabetologist cited a study the centre conducted among school students in the city from October 2007 to March 2008, which measured trends for obesity among students from lower socio-economical schools (LSES) to higher socio-economical schools (HSES). “Around 300 students between 8 and 18 years of age were studied from LSES and HSES. It was found that 22% of girls from HSES were overweighed when compared to 9% from those of LSES. Similarly for boys it was found to be 13% and 7% respectively. On analyzing the reason for obesity among children, we found it was entirely due to lifestyle changes. Students from HSES engaged in less physical activities and watched TV for more time than those from LSES,” he said.

Referring to the success of a similar program in Singapore three years ago, Dr Viswanathan said it had effected changes in the school curriculum, canteen policies and infrastructure. School authorities choose to install drinking water taps all over the school to discourage students from drinking fizzy soft drinks, he added.

“We are concerned about the health of our students and have issued circulars to CBSE schools requesting that they substitute junk food in canteens with healthy alternatives. In fact, we hope that the sahodaya cluster (group of schools in different regions of the city) will take up the issue at their meetings,” said S Nagaraju , regional director, CBSE.

Explaining the link between blood sugar and diabetes, Shreya Ganguly, a student of class XI at St John’s secondary school, Mandaveli, said “We prepared for the event with the help of information from internet. Together with the talks conducted here, we do have a greater awareness about the importance of cutting down junk foods.”

Disclaimer: All opinions and Information published here is for medical education only. It is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice. If you are a patient, please see your doctor for evaluation of your individual case. Under no circumstances will the authors be liable to you for any direct or indirect damages arising in connection with use of this website.