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HANGZHOU, CHINA
HANGZHOU REACHES A TURNING POINT IN DIABETES PREVALENCE
The city of Hangzhou took action when it began observing a worrying upward trend in diabetes prevalence and costly diabetes-related complications. However, after a decade of constructive efforts, the diabetes prevalence seems to be falling, decreasing by 3% from 2016. Among other things, the positive results are due to consistent cross-sector collaboration and the positioning of community doctors as drivers of change.
Hangzhou joined Cities Changing Diabetes in 2017, and has since been facilitating education and training for HCPs.
31.6%
OF ADULTS IN HANGZHOU WERE OVERWEIGHT IN 200965
THE CHIEF TALENT PLAN TRAINING COURSE
The Cities Changing Diabetes programme aims to impact the way that people with diabetes are treated in Hangzhou. Areas for potential improvement were identified, including the diabetes management compliance rate, diabetes-related complications among people with diabetes and the quality of health management offered by HCPs.
This led to the establishment of the Chief Talent Plan training course, through which more than 100 GPs and their teams specialising in diabetes – including GPs, diabetes nurses, pharmacists and nutritionists – received instruction during a series of standardised training seminars. The purpose of this training was to comprehensively improve the ability of primary care GPs to prevent and manage diabetes, thus making it more convenient and effective for people with diabetes to see doctors in their communities. This focus on strengthening prevention and improving diabetes management at primary care institutions has inspired other Chinese cities to adopt a similar approach.
NEW INITIATIVES TO ADDRESS PEOPLE AT RISK
Even though the prevalence of diabetes is declining in Hangzhou, there is still a need to raise awareness about diabetes among the general public. Therefore, as part of Cities Changing Diabetes, an online diabetes management app was launched for people living in Hangzhou at high risk of developing diabetes. The app connects users with medical specialists who are able to provide one-to-one guidance on health management. The app is the first of its kind in Hangzhou, and has been made possible as a result of cross-sector collaboration. All the data generated by this platform are collected by the municipality, which is one of the partners in the collaboration.
The app is one of several initiatives launched to help facilitate lifestyle change among people at risk and the general public. In 2019, close to 3,000 people joined an annual walk organised to raise awareness about diabetes.
IN HANGZHOU 5.8%
OF CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGES OF SEVEN AND 18 WERE OVERWEIGHT IN 201066
LOCAL PROGRAMME PARTNERS
Hangzhou Municipal Health Commission
Hangzhou Primary Health Association
