Main institution:
Maine Medical Centre, USA

Other institutions:
Justinian University Hospital, Haiti
Konbit Santé, Haiti

Principal investigator:
John Devlin

Other investigators:
Nate Nickerson; Michel Pierre; Philippe Larco; Nancy Charles-Larco; Nananda Col

Location of the project:
Cap Haitien, Haiti

Amount allocated:
USD 65,000

Date:
June 1, 2010 - June 30, 2012

Objectives:
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with the lowest government expenditures on health care. Although prevalence data are few, hypertension is reported in greater than two-thirds of adults over age 40. Poverty, lack of education, political instability, and lack of resources all contribute to an excess burden of chronic illness.  We propose to develop a diabetes treatment program which will deliver the three most cost effective interventions in developing countries: glycemic control in poorly controlled patients, blood pressure control, and foot care in high-risk individuals. Culturally appropriate educational materials will be developed and made widely available to the community.

Results to date (November 2012):

Article

• Diabetes Voice, June 2011 "Sharing hope and improving care: Haiti builds for a brighter future" [2]

Poster/Presentation

• World Diabetes Congress, Dubai, December 2011

BRIDGES (Bringing Research in Diabetes to Global Environments and Systems) is a programme initiated by the International Diabetes Federation [3], and supported by an educational grant from Lilly Diabetes.