Diabetics Clinic
Started in 1993, this department deals with testing, treating and management of diabetes as its core business. It has some five in-house professionals who include two nurses, a clinical officer, a nutritionist and a part time chiropodist.
On average, some 1,100 clients pass through the clinic's door on a monthly basis, perhaps testimony to the rising cases of diabetes in the country. Available data shows that the age at which people are most susceptible to diabetes is between 30 to 50 years.
The clinic is divided into two stations: consultation/triage and education. The first station mainly deals with testing and diagnosis. In triage, the patient blood pressure, blood sugar and weight are recorded and depending on the results the patient is put on medication or given the relevant advice. Those diagnosed in wards are also referred to the diabetics clinic after discharge.
The clinic houses very modern and high quality equipment. This ensures that the final service delivery is unique compared to other similar departments at competing hospitals.
We treat and train patients in self-management of diabetes. This clinic is one of the fastest growing clinics at the hospital today. In conjunction with the Eye Unit, we organize outreach clinics to various places.
The clinic aims to educate and inform patients and their relatives to enable them to achieve best possible control of their condition. The following standards of care are advised as ideal:
Daily foot care procedures are taught
Monthly (or maximum two monthly) review for blood sugar, blood pressure and body weight measurements. Home blood sugar monitoring is taught to patients who can afford the strips. Currently none of the clientele can afford regular HbAIC(glycated Haemoglobin) assays
Yearly eye review (or more frequently when advised)
Half yearly dental check-up
Yearly lipid profiles for patients who can afford treatment with statins
Other Investigations as advised by clinic staff e.g. ECG (EKG), to investigate heart disease, sputum examination or chest X-ray to diagnose possible TB etc
