Gaza – education and medical support for children with medical conditions
Did you know that more than 52% of Atfaluna staff members are with disabilities.
This LFT project is designed to respond to ongoing deteriorating humanitarian and health situation of children and adolescence with type 1 diabetes in the Gaza Strip.
The WHO estimates that 15.3% of the Palestinian population are affected by diabetes. This is a serious public health burden as it has directly affected the wellbeing of the nation, leads to serious complications that affect the workforce, health, psychological status and increases the rate of mortality and morbidity. Approximately, 5% of all patients with diabetes in Palestine are children and adolescences which are mainly affected by type 1 diabetes.
Traditionally, all patients with diabetes in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip receive health service support by visiting the Ministry of Health and UNRWA health centres which offer investigations and treatment.
Diabetes Palestine is the only organization in Palestine providing specialised services to diabetic patients using the internationally recognized programme, ‘Diabetes Comprehensive Care Model’ (DCCM). Diabetes Palestine successfully provided this model to children, adolescences, adults and pregnant women in the West Bank and was approved by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) as a centre of excellence in providing the DCCM in the West Bank. Diabetes Palestine is aiming to replicate the DCCM in the Gaza Strip for the first time with the support of the LFT.
The LFT supported project aims to serve a 150 children and adolescents living with type 1 diabetes with the DCCM strategies. Diabetes Palestine told the LFT: “Our prompt and precise detection, diagnosis, health awareness, follow up, lifestyle modification, socio- psychological support and treatment for these patients will contribute in reducing the mortality and the morbidity rate as well as the early and the late complications of this chronic, debilitating and emergent disease.”
Teaching children, adolescents and their families as well as raising awareness at the community level regarding diabetes will contribute in the early detection of complications, quick response and appropriate intervention. Coordination and cooperation with other health service providers, headed by the Palestinian Ministry of Health, will help to familiarise them with the diabetes care model and train them to support upskilling their staff to provide comprehensive care services for diabetic young people. Finally, the establishment of a professional and community network will support and advocate on behalf of diabetes patients and the DCCM model. The LFT upholds that diabetes is a chronic condition that needs chronic care.
In keeping with the LFT ethos of empowerment, a total of 30 mothers of children with diabetes and who are living in the poorest communities will participate in Mothernomics activities. Through engaging them in vocational training, based on their skills and inclinations they will be matched with paid internships and linked to outsource markets through digital and freelancing skills.
The vocational and technical training will be in the fields of sewing, embroidery, culinary arts, graphic design, and digital marketing. This will enhance their livelihood opportunities and create or increase household income either through employment or self-employment.