Tanzania Diabetes Association

Tanzania Diabetes Association (TDA) was formed in 1985 as a result of the awareness that the interests of all people concerned with diabetes are best served by joining together and working as one national association to ensure the availability of more resources for diabetes including medicines, equipment, education and mutual support. TDA collaborates with the Ministry of Health and the PORALG to improve the welfare of people living with diabetes, with the financial assistance of our international partners. TDA also works closely with the Tanzania NCD Alliance, a collaboration of currently 21 organization involved in NCD activities on Tanzania, for a stronger advocacy efforts, avoidance of duplication of efforts especially in prevention issues. Activities conducted so far include: Training of health care workers (doctors and nurses) on diabetes/NCD management and establishing diabetes/NCD clinics in all public health facilities from health centre level to zonal level. TDA has produced a booklet in the local language (Swahihi) for patient education and it is given without charge to all newly diagnosed patients. TDA receives donations including insulin, glucose meters and test strips from the CDIC, LFAC and other partners and distributes them to all public facilities with type 1 diabetes clinics. TDA collaborated with TANCDA to produce a booklet on healthy lifestyles available without charge, both hard copies and soft copies online. The booklet is distributed during public NCD screening camps which are held country wide on designated World Days. TDA also sponsors local and national media programs (radio, TV) to educate the public on diabetes/NCDs. Towards enhanced prevention effort, in collaboration with TANCDA, TDA is running a pilot project using Community Health Workers (CHW) and peers who visit people in their village educate them on healthy lifestyles and for those living with NCD, encourage adherence to medication.