ISPAD Declaration of Kwa Zulu
ISPAD Declaration of Kwa Zulu
On December fifth, two thousand and twelve at Puluma Beach, KZN Province, South Africa, the African Society for Paediatric Endocrinology (ASPAE) supported by the International Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) reviewed the declaration of Kos and reaffirmed the relevance of the Declaration appropriate for the current and emerging needs of African children and adolescents diagnosed with diabetes mellitus.
They declared their commitment to the promotion of optimal health, social welfare and well-being for all children and adolescents with diabetes in Africa, and considered the unique factors that must be addressed by health care professionals responsible for the health of young people and their families by the following:
· to promote the diagnosis of diabetes by blood glucose testing of sick children, according to standard protocols
· to establish and maintain a local/regional/national register of young people under the age of 18 years diagnosed with diabetes
· to deliver a service for diabetes in the young through a multi-disciplinary team
· to treat with insulin and monitor with glucose testing appropriately based on resource led intensive therapy
· to initiate and maintain an age based, culturally appropriate patient education programme, delivered by a trained educator based on a validated curriculum
· to advise and instruct on appropriate dietary therapy, taught by a trained nutritionist/dietitian, based on a diet and nutritional programme adapted for local cultural practice
· to prevent where possible and treat according to local guidelines the acute metabolic complications of diabetes
· to support the self-management of diabetes by the young person and their families, to allow full participation in school, work and family environment
· to offer culturally appropriate counselling for emotional difficulties associated with diabetes management
· to develop and encourage research and audit of practice in diabetes in children and adolescents in Africa.
· to act as an advocate for diabetes in the young by promoting their care to local, national and regional government and health administration organisations
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Comments
This is a good representation of the resolutions we made at the end of the DIP course at the Puluma Beach Hotel. Though all the resolutions may not be readily feasible in most African countries , we had resolved that each member of ASPAE would try to achieve these resolutions in their various countries. That is to achieve the best quality of care, create awareness about diabetes in childhood so as to annex those children that are yet to be diagnosed, develop prevention strategy that is culturally acceptable and perform research on diabetes amongst African children. We appreciate that Using this declaration we should be able to achieve our goals if appropriate support is readily made available.
Poor Funding is a big issue in achieving these goals. Institutions interested in diabetes and provision of good quality care are needed to support the few diabetes in children caregiver all over the continent. More so as governmental support is very low in providing this quality of care standard. Supports are needed to do large scale awareness campaign across continent in all the countries, research more into developing storage facility for insulin in areas where power is scarce or erratic , development of culturally acceptable toolkit as teaching aids, PROVISION OF EASILY ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE INSULIN AND CONSUMABLES - GLUCOMETER, REAGENTS STRIPS, INSILIN PEN, NEEDLES, LANCETS.
An African child with diabetes, have needs that are big, but with support from all, the adage " Life for every child with diabetes " is achievable .
Abiola Oduwole
President ASPAE
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