HEALTH WORKERS ADVOCATE SCREENING FOR GESTATIONAL DIABETES MELLITUS
August 27, 2018
Spread the love!
The Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Rivers State Branch in partnership with the World Diabetes Foundation (WDF) is promoting awareness, screening, prevention and management of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus among women in Rivers State, Niger Delta region of Nigeria.
A cross section of participants
They recently held a training for health care providers in all levels of care, both public and private, which is a method employed by MWAN, Rivers State Branch to build or enhance the capacity of health care providers for prevention, screening, pre-referral care and management of GDM.
Our correspondent Elfredah Kevin reported that health care providers were selected from primary and secondary facilities where GDM care is provided. They comprised of doctors, nurses and laboratory scientists/technician and cut across six secondary and 21 primary health care facilities in four selected Local Governments Areas (LGAs) in Rivers State, which include; Ahoada-East, Okrika, Khana and Port Harcourt/Obio-Akpor LGAs
Over 140 Health Care Providers were in attendance. The facilities represented include: Sterling Hospital, Meridian Hospital, First Rivers Hospital, Zonal Hospital Ahoada, Zonal Hospital Bori, Zonal Hospital Okrika, MPHC Ahoada, Beulah Clinic, Gbeye Clinic, Zion Clinic, Okpeden Medical Centre and Maternity, MPHC Bori, MPHC Beeri, MPHC Opuoko, Sunrise Family Clinic, Sovereign Clinic, Inadum Clinic, MPHC Anyungubiri, MPHC Ogoloma, MPHC Ibaka, Kimberly Clinic, Sharon Medical Centre and Maternity, Mainland Clinic, MPHC Orogbum, MPHC PottsJohnson, and MPHC Nkpolu-Oroworukwo.
Naijavoxpop news gathered that the objectives of the training was to facilitate a shared understanding of the MWAN-GDM project, its objectives and targets, build the capacity of participants to screen, diagnose, provide pre-referral and referral care for women with GDM, engage participants in a review of roles and responsibilities relating to project implementation in their facilities and Identify and resolve challenges with project implementation in partner facilities
During the opening and introductory section, Dr Ufuoma Edewor, MWAN RS Secretary stated that the workshop was aimed at building the capacity of health care providers for the management of GDM.
“The aim of this workshop is to build/enhance the capacity of health care providers in the management of Gestational Diabetes Milletus and to strengthen the responsibilities of healthcare providers in partnership with the MWAN-GDM Project”
Also speaking on screening for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, the project coordinator, Dr. Rosemary Ogu stated that the best time to screen is on the first point of contact with the pregnant woman.
“The best time to screen for GDM is on the first point of contact with a pregnant mother or on the first visit of mother to a health facility for ANC. Follow up on screening is best at 24th and 28th weeks of gestational”
The President Elect of MWAN RS, Dr. Vetty Agala stated that the MWAN target is to screen over 20000 pregnant women for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus adding that MWAN expects each participant to grasp the zeal for the task of achieving the targets after the training.
“The target includes to get over 20000 pregnant mothers screened for GDM, and to diagnose over 2000 pregnant women with GDM. MWAN expects that each of the participants will grasp the zeal for the task of achieving these targets and having been trained, would provide adequate services with respect to GDM screening and awareness campaigns”.
The Project Advisor, Dr. Claribel Abam reviewed the Expectations, Roles and Responsibilities of the health facilities and some Best Practices, Possible Challenges and Solutions.
“All partner facilities should be consistent in the delivery of services related to GDM. Personnel should be available to carry out GDM screening and diagnosis. Pregnant women should be allowed to access the facility for GDM related care for free. The primary and private health facilities are expected to perform screening for GDM and to educate their ANC patients on the risk of GDM. They are to refer patients that are diagnosed with GDM to tertiary health facilities for the management of GDM. MWAN Rivers State provides the partner facilities with glucometer, test strips, and lancet, while it is the duty of the facilities to ensure that the tools are used and well managed.
MWAN Rivers State trains and updates the care givers with up-to-date evidence based practice, while the care giver is tasked with the job of ensuring that best practice is adhered to.”
“The best practice emphasized is that pregnant women are screened at first point of contact and monitored in the course of the gestational period with rescreening at the 24th and 28th week”.
“Some of the challenges faced by the participants in the management and care for GDM could be due to shortage of staff in the health facility and absence of focal person performing the GDM screening at the time of visit”.
Participants were admonished to ensure that they are available on ANC days in their various facilities and to reach out to TBAs in order to improve pregnancy outcomes in their host communities
A Presentation on “Monitoring and Evaluation, and Use of Information Materials in the Management and Care of GDM” was taken by Dr Omosivie Maduka the Project Secretary
Dr. Omosivie Maduka stressed on the use of information materials in the management and care of gestational diabetes through the monitoring and evaluation process.
We”Key indicators were set up to monitor the progress of the project:
Number of women screened, number of women diagnosed with GDM and outcomes of the pregnancy of women diagnosed with GDM.
The M&E unit is tasked with frequent visits to the partner facilities for supportive supervision and reporting, including a routine check for the validity of the test kits”.
Some of the participants expressed pleasure with the workshop and commended MWAN for the kind gesture.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=315845408991434&id=143664032876240
HEALTH WORKERS ADVOCATE SCREENING FOR GESTATIONAL DIABETES MELLITUS
August 27, 2018.Spread the love!
MWAN's kind gesture.
FULL STORY:https://t.co/S8vLffjDAN pic.twitter.com/ZNr0zSfflg
— MwanRivers (@mwanrivers) August 28, 2018