| “Before
the conference, the regional branch of the Polish Diabetes Association
in Hajnowka celebrated its 15th anniversary. Local officials thanked the
Association’s leaders for their work and spoke about their important
role in the community, particularly since they are all volunteers who
make tremendous effort to help local diabetics. The most active leaders
and other people of importance to the Association were rewarded with
diplomas, medals and other awards.
Then
the Conference took place. It included 7 interesting lectures with
PowerPoint presentations on various topics, such as diabetes in general,
its complications, diet, new treatment methods, medication
reimbursement and disease financing. The first lectures were given by
diabetology professors from the nearby medical university in Bialystok.
The latter ones included medical representatives and a National Health
Fund employee. There were about 200 participants present in the
auditorium who were visibly interested in what was being said. During
the breaks, the participants took part in a fair that comprised about 10
pharmaceutical companies and ate special sweets for diabetics.
One
of the most important ideas discussed during the conference was
“Diabetes Schools”, a project the Polish Diabetes Association is hoping
to develop in the near future. It started in a small town in one
province (Wielkopolska) and now we want to expand it to the whole
country. The way it works in that province is: the local branch of the
Polish Diabetes Association needs to find a doctor who would be willing
to lecture. Then he or she gives a cycle of 8 lectures from October to
June slightly less than once a month to diabetics, their families, and
all who are interested in the problem of diabetes.
At
the beginning of every lecture, the participants take a short test on
their knowledge from the previous lecture. Those with the best scores
get small prizes, like gadgets sponsored by pharmaceutical companies.
The project is conducted in cooperation with local authorities, who
often let the group use an auditorium in one of the public buildings for
free. We distribute leaflets and posters propagating the event in
outpatient clinics, hospitals, pharmacies etc. These materials are
sometimes also printed thanks to the local authorities. After every
lecture, a summary is given to the local press for the people to review
the knowledge (and of course for those who did not attend); it is also
put on the official web page of a given community.
Those
who participated in the greatest number of lectures may win a prize. We
know who attended lectures because at every meeting the participants
get letter-shaped stickers, which – when joined together – form a word.
The final prizes are awarded by local authorities, and they are quite
valuable, e.g. bicycles. There is a permanent committee working with the
school, which is composed of well-known diabetologists. This project is
extremely popular and successful in the towns where it operates and we
are indeed hoping we can spread it to the whole country.
The
Conference was a huge success. The Polish Diabetes Association is
always extremely happy when it can organize events of this kind for its
members and the general public interested in diabetes. This is a very
good way of spreading education.”
Andrzej
Bauman, President of Polish Diabetes Association invited Patient Safety
Foundation to have a presentation there. – It was great honor to be
there told us – Bogumiła
Dzikowska, clinicians from our foundation. She presented medical
problems in Afghanistan during her last charity work in 2010. |
