Managing Diabetes

The Hospitalito Atitlán ‘Managing Diabetes’ program — funded by the World Diabetes Foundation in Denmark — began in 2012 and ended in June 2021. The first phase three-year focused on Santiago Atitlán; the second expanded the project to the lake shore towns in the department of Sololá. Phase three strengthened and expanded on the earlier programs to include towns in the highlands of Sololá.

Over the years, great strides were made in prevention and treatment of the disease:

Accomplishments

  • 55,500 diabetes screenings
  • 25,630 individual patients in the database
  • 31 diabetes detection and education clinics were established in Sololá villages
  • Diabetes education in the classroom for 12,451 children ages of 12 and 17
  • 1,240 healthcare workers were trained in diabetes prevention and care
    • 198 physicians
    • 564 nurses
    • 481 social workers, traditional birth attendants and others
  • 35,000 culturally appropriate diabetes prevention booklets were distributed in Tz’utujil Kaqchikel and K’iche’.
  • 9,732 diabetes recipe booklets delivered
  • 14 monthly diabetes clubs were established in clinics for education and diabetes control
  • Hospitalito and area medical personnel are prepared to provide integral diabetes care
  • 640 patients were screened for diabetic retinopathy.

The World Diabetes Foundation continues to support Hospitalito’s mission by funding a new program “Healthy Habits” aimed to train women leaders to reduce risk of chronic disease in their families. The ‘Health Habits’ project will continue through December 2022.

Additionally, four educational videos have been created to increase awareness about diabetes prevention in Spanish (Español), Tz’utujil, Kaqchikel, and K’iche’, these videos are broadcast on local television channels all around the lake with the goal of reaching the largest possible audience. Take a look below!