Family doctors in the Poltava region have become “diabetes hunters”, informing about its prevention, early detection and treatment within the framework of the Ukrainian-Swiss project “Acting for Health” in partnership with the Center for Public Health of Ukraine. Poltava Region is one of the five target regions where “Diabetes Hunters” teams have been working for several months in a row. The project started in the region even before the beginning of the full-scale invasion of russia. Now the activities of the project, including the information campaign “Diabetes Hunters”, take into account the needs of not only Poltava residents, but also residents of other regions of Ukraine temporarily moved to Poltava.
A press briefing and examination of all interested parties took place at the Poltava Oil and Gas College of National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”.
“More than three hundred temporarily displaced people from Kharkiv Region, Kyiv Region and other regions currently live in the dorms. We reported on the opportunity to donate blood for sugar content testing, which was taken advantage of by whole families. The team also responded to the support of important health measures,” – commented Director of the Poltava Oil and Gas College of National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” Liubov Shumska.
Chief therapist of the Department of Health of the Poltava Military Administration Ivan Shumeiko, project manager, head of the board of the CF “Women’s Health and Family Planning” Halyna Maistruk, coordinator of the work direction with the primary link of assistance in emergency situations of the project Vladyslav Zbanatskyi, regional coordinator of the project in the region Nina Durdykulyieva, the leader of the Poltava “Diabetes Hunters” team, family doctor Svitlana Levchenko talked about how war and its consequences affect people’s health, in particular, chronic severe stress, as well as about the directions of further work, planned project activities.
“Early detection and treatment of diabetes should become a priority, especially now, when there are a large number of people who are experiencing the ravages of war. Currently, we have 52,000 patients with diabetes registered, including 403 children. Determination of the level of glucose in the blood and treatment of this disease is provided under the direction of a family doctor in the Poltava region. Along with this, to improve early detection of the disease, we conduct diabetes training for family doctors so that they have a special awareness of diabetes. In addition, people themselves should pay attention to their health, care about it, in particular by checking their blood sugar – this is exactly what our information campaign is aimed at,” – says Nina Durdykulyieva, regional coordinator of the “Acting for Health” project in Poltava region.
“Type 2 diabetes is often asymptomatic at the beginning of the disease. For example, a person experiences prolonged or severe stress, which triggers the development of the disease, the level of glucose in the blood begins to constantly exceed the norm, and this destroys the body. However, a person may not have complaints and generally feel normal. Therefore, it is very important to regularly check your blood glucose level in order to detect the disease in time and start its treatment,” – says doctor Svitlana Levchenko.
On June 8, doctors examined 158 people – both temporarily displaced people and residents of the neighborhood of various ages: from children to seniors. Doctors found 22 cases of high blood sugar, six people had it for the first time. They were recommended to undergo further examination. In total, 42 people received consultations from a family doctor.
Also, everyone can take the first evidence-based online test to determine the individual risk of type 2 diabetes: diabetes.phc.org.ua. One can go through it both independently and during an appointment with one’s family doctor. This test is part of the Unified clinical protocol of primary and secondary (specialized) medical care “Diabetes type 2”, approved by Order of the Ministry of Health No. 1118, and therefore it can be used by any doctor in medical practice. Learn more about this disease, its prevention, early detection and treatment.
Media Center of
National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”
