UCT-CEHI committed to "Beat Diabetes"!

The Beat Diabetes! event was the culmination of an awareness raising campaign, one of three main outcomes of the Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) Services project, which is an Orbis / World DiabetesFoundation-funded initiative of the Khayelitsha and Eastern Sub-Structure (KESS) of the Cape Metropolitan Health District, managed by the UCT-CEHI. The other two, setting up of an eye clinic and laser treatment centre at KDH, and four diabetic retinopathy screening clinics in the primary care clinics were completed in 2023. This, the third project phase of the "A Western Cape Model of District-Led Diabetic Retinopathy Care" project, involved Implementation of  a health promotion strategy which included monthly DR screenings and awareness-raising outreaches in the Khayekitsha area.

A coordination team was convened to plan and organise the Beat Diabetes event. This comprised members of the KESS district office, representatives of some of the primary care facilities in Khayelitsha, and the UCT-CEHI DR Project manager, Dr Abraham Opare. In preparation for the Beat Diabetes event, eight members of this committee attended an awareness-raising and health promotion workshop in October.  Over the course of several meetings, all aspects of the event were planned.

The theme of the campaign, "beat diabetes", was planned to be symbolised by the actual overcoming of the effects of diabetes or the risks of developing diabetes. Hence the "beat" icon was a punching first, indicating that the power was in our hands to beat diabetes, and the theme sounds were to be the beat of African drums and marimba panels, as was showcased during the event.

On the day of the event, the inner quad of KDH was set up as venue, with a diabetes screening station for random blood glucose testing. Before the official start of the programme, the waiting area of the hospital was already crowded with people waiting for the event to start. In the end, more than 150 community members attended the event, coming from all areas of Khayelitsha. While mostly of higher age group, a significant proportion of the attendants were young adults. The event programme was packed with information sessions about diabetes, available primary care services for testing and treatment for diabetes, and practical sessions to prevent developing and to overcome the effects of diabetes. The presenters included doctors working in family medicine, representatives of non governmental organisations working in the field of diabetes care, and even some offering testimony of their success in managing their diabetes. Much of the programme was accompanied by music, provided amongst others by a marimba band, and an African drum band.  The proceedings were thoroughly enjoyed by the attendants, who at regular intervals broke out in song and dance.

As the programme progressed, participants were invited to go for random blood glucose testing to screen for diabetes. More than 50 people were screened on the day, and those with elevated blood glucose results were referred to their nearest clinics.  

The event ended with participants being handed food parcels, while enjoying the jubilant atmosphere, created by people intermingling, discussing the various messages of the campaign, and the background sounds of the marimba band.

This was a very successful awareness-raising and health promotion campaign. In addition to the campaign event, posters were displayed, pamphlets distributed, and the event (and it's messages) featured over the local radio programmes, in newspaper articles and in online publications. It is likely that the social media platform may have carried it far beyond the Cape Town city limits.

The KESS "Beat Diabetes!" coordinating committee and UCT-CEHI wish to thank the following eopel and organisations for the Beat Diabetes event, and the preceding Awareness-raising and Health promotion workshop: Orbis International, for generous funding support, KESS district offcie staff and KDH senior management, (in particular Mr James Kruger and Mrs Cheryl Steyn)  for their sterling support and assistance, and the professional service provided by our creative designer and event organiser team, without which this would not have been possible.  Truly a great achievement!