The World Diabetes Foundation (WDF) has received a DKK 31 million (USD 5 million) grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation in support of a project in Tanzania aimed at strengthening access to care for people with diabetes and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) as close to their homes and communities as possible.
The project will provide capacity-building at primary care and community levels across Tanzania by training thousands of healthcare workers, who will be given improved skills and resources to screen, diagnose and treat NCDs and also become better able to raise awareness in communities about NCDs and their underlying risk factors.
Further, to enhance the health literacy of children and adolescents and strengthen primary prevention in Tanzania, the project will support the national school health programme by training teachers at primary and secondary schools in all parts of the country.
Hanna Line Jakobsen, Head of Social, Humanitarian and Development Aid, Novo Nordisk Foundation, says: “Untreated diabetes or hypertension can lead to serious complications and loss of ability to work, which can be a disaster to the affected individuals, caregivers, families, households and their livelihoods. We hope that this project will not only make a big difference in Tanzania but also inspire the implementation of similar projects in other countries.”
The grant is part of WDF’s strategy to increase support for national programmes to address diabetes and other NCDs in countries where partnerships have been ongoing for several years, and where a strong collaboration with the government and leading national stakeholders is in place.
