A project titled “AmaderProchesta” was launched today to create social awareness on COVID-19 and diabetes.

The project will help healthcare professionals in identifying the unmet needs in diabetes management for patients, who are suffering from COVID-19, and the preparedness required in the healthcare system.

The project is a joint initiative of the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh (BADAS), Non-Communicable Diseases Control (NCDC) Programme of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Novo Nordisk and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

A guideline on ‘COVID-19 and diabetes for healthcare professional’has been prepared and published and a dedicated website:www.diabetes-covid19.org has beenintroduced under this project.

In addition to that two certificate courses on ‘COVID-19 prevention of diabetic patients and services’also been introduced under the project.

Two lakh people will be tested for random blood sugar, and educational materials, videos, leaflets, and posters have been prepared and distributed on the prevention of COVID-19 and diabetes.

Professor A.K. Azad Khan, President of BADAS, said “diabetes patients are at higher risk and they need to be very careful amidst this pandemic and social awareness is the key to prevent this deadly disease including other NCDs.”

“The death rate of COVID-19 patients living with NCDs such as diabetes is much higher and we need to work together to address the challenges of COVID-19,” said Dr. AHM Enayet Hussain, Director General of DGHS.

“This is a timely initiative and it will bring more values for patients, who are facing challenges of limited healthcare resources in the country, said Professor Akhtar Hussain, President (Elect) of International Diabetes Federation.

“This project is an opportunity for Novo Nordisk to demonstrate our social responsibility and commitment to patients and the communities we operate in,” said Dr. Mihail Briciu, Managing Director of Novo Nordisk.

The new platform will be used effectively to protect health of patients living with diabetes and hypertension, said Yasuhiro Kawazoe, Senior Representative of JICA.

Md. Sayef Uddin, Secretary-General of BADAS;Professor Dr. Md. Faruque Pathan, Department of Endocrinology, BIRDEM; Dr. M A Samad, Chief Executive Officer of National Healthcare Network; Professor Brigadier General Dr. Md. Abdul Majid Bhuiyan, Director, BIHS General Hospital; Dr. Bishwajit Bhowmik, Coordinator, Centre for Global Health Research of BADAS; and Dr. Abdul Alim, Assistant Director and Program Manager, NCDC, DG Health were present at the programme.

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