Health practitioners here have been inspired with new knowledge and skills on how to deal with patients with diabetic foot complications. This is the result of an advanced step –by- step foot care training programme which came to an end on Tuesday.
International medical experts and Rotary representatives teamed up with relevant local and national stakeholders this week in organizing a two- day advanced training exercise.
The training programme which was based on the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Step by Step model consisted of lectures, practical sessions, treatment of people with diabetes, and teaching of educational techniques.
Dr. Vilma Urbancic , the International facilitator at the training programme is impressed with the level of commitment by Government and health care practitioners towards the success of the diabetic foot care programme.
“Thank you to all who have enabled the programme to be implemented here in Dominica. I would like to say thank you to the participants. You are so hard working, so enthusiastic and your results are so impressive. You have not only started to work but you are doing excellent job in the field of educating patients and health care workers. That is a guarantee for the sustainability of the work which began here.”
Dr Urbancic commended the officials for acting on the recommendations which they made last year so swiftly.
“It’s something unbelievable, in no island so far have we seen the result of our work implemented so quickly, so efficiently and in no island have we seen such enthusiasm from health care authorities and we were in particular pleased by what we have been given from the minister Honourable Julius Timothy because I believe it’s his dedication”.
The first leg of the step by step training programe was conducted in Dominica in October last year.
Participants have been encouraged to sustain and extend the achievements of the programme by communicating their newly acquired knowledge and skills to colleagues.