Communique from Organisers and Participants at the 3rd Podiatry and Diabetes Foot Care Workshop Help in Lagos from August 15th to August 19th 2016.
Addressed To:
THE FEDERAL MINISTER OF HEALTH
THE CHAIRMAN SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH
THE MEDICAL REHABILITATION THERAPY BOARD
THE STATE GOVERNMENT COMMISSIONERS OF HEALTH
THE PROVOST OF STATE GOVERNMENT COLLEGE OF HEALTH TECHNOLOGY
THE CHIEF MEDICAL DIRECTORS AND BOARD OF MANAGEMENT OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TERTIARY HEALTH INSTITUTIONS
THE DIABETES ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA
THE NIGERIA MEDICAL ASSOCIATION RELEVANT PROFESSIONAL BODIES eg. SOCIETY OF ENDOCRINOLOGY AND METABOLISM OF NIGERIA , NIGERIA ORTHOPAEDIC ASSOCIATION
THE REGISTRAR, NURSING AND MIDWIFERY COUNCIL OF NIGERIA
A third workshop and training programme on PODIATRY and DIABETES FOOT CARE was held from Monday 15th to Friday 19th August 2016 at the Peninsula Hotel , Lekki — Epe Express Way, Lagos State.
The workshop with the theme "INITIATING, IMPLEMENTING AND SUSTAINING A NATIONAL DIABETES FOOT CARE POLICY" was opened on behalf of Prof. Isaac Adewole, Honourable Minister of Health by the Chief Medical Director of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Prof. Chris Bode.
Similar to the earlier two, this workshop was again organised by the Rainbow Specialist Medical Centre in collaboration with the World Diabetes Foundation and the Podiatry Institute , Georgia , USA. Faculty comprised staff from the Podiatry Institute USA, Nigerian Podiatrists in the Diaspora in addition to distinguished trainers from within Nigeria. This workshop welcomed into faculty a distinguished guest from Cape Town South Africa, Dr Andrew Clarke; with a wealth of experience in Diabetes Foot Care in the United Kingdom, Mauritius, South Africa and the International Working Group for the Diabetes Foot. DEFINITION AND MAGNITUDE OF THE DIABETES FOOT SYNDROME IN NIGERIA
The International Diabetes Federation has repeatedly drawn attention to the recent epidemic occurrence of Diabetes mellitus worldwide. The greatest burden of the disease falls on the Developing World. Local (Nigerian) data since the 1960s show that Nigeria is experiencing this increase in Diabetes prevalence. Health care practitioners from secondary and tertiary tiers of health have reported an accompanying increase in Diabetes related Foot Disease — from nerve and blood vessel damage - Ulcers and Gangrene resulting in lower limb amputation, lengthy stay in hospital, loss of productivity and income to the individual and the family. Emotional, psychological and financial implications of Diabetes foot ulcer and amputation are severe consequences. Mortality is unacceptably high.
This sad and depressing state of Diabetes Health Care statistics led to the first PODIATRY AND DIABETES FOOT CARE workshop in Nigeria in March 2014.
PODIATRY SERVICE NEEDS IN NIGERIA/LAGOS
Training in Podiatry, a branch of Medicine dedicated to the study of the diagnosis, medical and surgical treatment of disorders of the foot, ankle and lower extremities, currently receives scant attention /no formal mention in the curriculum of Health Care Training Institutions in Nigeria.
Establishing improvement in knowledge base and the acquisition of proper practice skills would form a key to preventing and reducing the scourge of the Diabetes Foot Syndrome in Nigeria. The main objective of the Diabetes Podiatry Initiative Nigeria Project (a RAINBOW HOSPITAL INITIATIVE) is to help empower Health Care Practitioners in the art ofDiabetes Foot Care through much needed training and to help participating Health Care Facilities to set up basic Diabetes foot Care Clinics.
INITIATING THE PODIATRY SERVICE BASE FOR DIABETES FOOT CARE IN LAGOS
The initiative effort in Lagos started with much needed trainings through regular interactive workshop sessions — once yearly over five days and one day monthly - on knowledge and care practice skills. Organisation base of this effort was the Rainbow Specialist Medical Centre under the Project coordinator and Medical Director of the Centre.
To date eleven Health facilities in rural and urban Lagos at primary, secondary and tertiary care levels in State Owned, Federal Government Owned, Private Hospitals and Non-Profit Health Institutions have and are benefiting from the initiative at no financial cost to them. Participants include members of the different cadres of the Health Care team comprising Doctors (General Practitioners ,Specialist Physicians and Surgeons, Resident Doctors in Specialty Training Programmes) Pharmacists, Nurses, Diabetes Educators, Physiotherapists, Orthotics, Plastic Technicians, Persons living with Diabetes, with or free of Diabetes Foot Disease, Members of the Diabetes Association of Nigeria.
So far participants have attended from different geopolitical zones of Nigeria. Plans are well ahead to extend the initiative to other parts of Nigeria.
VISION FOR THE FUTURE: Participants
1. Felt empowered and committed to develop, improve and sustain good foot care practices for Nigerians living with Diabetes
2. Expressed the need to sustain advocacy and awareness creation for a National Diabetes foot care policy at all relevant administrative, professional and community levels.
3. Felt it is highly desirable and is recommended as a priority that teams be trained and equipped for podiatry care within the Nigerian Health Care system.
4. That the Rainbow Specialist Medical Centre and other like Centres established to cover the geopolitical zones of Nigeria be encouraged to contribute to the National Policy within the Health Care system/structure.
5. That the Podiatry Institute Decatur Georgia USA be encouraged to provide ongoing training and consultations in support of the Nigeria Podiatry and Diabetes Foot Care Project. Participants specifically wish that this communiqué be addressed principally to the Honourable Minister of Health, to thank him for opening this third workshop.
The communiqué will also serve for his information and assist in establishing the necessary instruments for initiating, implementing and sustaining a National Diabetes Foot Care Policy and Program.
Signed:
Dr (Mrs) Afokoghene R Isiavwe Diabetes Podiatry Initiative Nigeria (Nigerian Coordinator)
Rahn A Ravenell, DPM, FACFAS Diabetes Podiatry Initiative Nigeria (U.S.A Coordinator)
ABUJA: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED
PORTHARCOURT: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED
LAGOS: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED
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