kNOw Diabetes

Project kNOw Diabetes – Phase 2 ( WDF 12-717)
Multifaceted Campaign for Primary Prevention of Diabetes and Other Lifestyle Diseases

This project aims to empower the coming generation in primary prevention and control of diabetes and other lifestyle diseases. The proposed project will focus on developing a sustainable health education system consisting of multiple stakeholders in Kerala targeting

diabetes and other lifestyle diseases. Several internet based programs and platforms will be consolidated for developing an effective online health education programme. The project comprises of four major components:

1. An online health education centre will be established. The content of the programme will focus on facts about diabetes and other lifestyle diseases, healthy lifestyle, nutrition, preventive measures against diabetes during pregnancy and diabetes and TB. Video lessons, talk shows and interviews (with diabetologists, physiotherapists, yoga masters and nutritionists) will be produced and uploaded on websites, blogs, YouTube channel and other social media platforms.

2. A health education system will be established in collaboration with National Service Scheme, Department of Higher Secondary Education, Kerala, Local self government authorities and various voluntary organisations. As part of the activities 400 schools will be selected as distance centres of health education. About 800 teachers and leaders of voluntary groups are expected to attend the training camps. The teachers trained will select a minimum of 100 student volunteers to receive awareness classes about primary prevention and effective use of internet programs and social media platforms. The student volunteers will be entrusted with the task of educating at least 5 fellow students and a minimum of 10 adults in their neighborhoods. Nodal Centres will be established to co-ordinate the activities conducted in the distance education centres.

3. A campaign with multimedia exhibitions, television programs, print and visual media will be carried out. The exhibition is designed to provide information regarding diabetes and other lifestyle diseases for prevention, control and lifestyle modification.

4. As IT hubs are growing rapidly in Kerala, there is an increasing necessity to focus on IT professionals. Many of them lead a sedentary life and are chronically subjected to stress, which can considerably increase the odds of developing obesity, cardio vascular diseases and diabetes. Online education will hence be available to about 10,000 IT professionals with the aim of promoting healthy lifestyle habits.