The overall goals of the model are to have a sustainable, integrated, and low-cost care for diabetes patients through targeting education in lower limb complications, prevention of unnecessary amputations, and empowerment of patients to better care for their feet by detecting problems earlier and seeking timely help when problems arise.
Initially, 10 doctors who will serve as provincial coordinators will undergo training in basic foot care followed by an advanced training program six months later. Each provincial coordinator is in charge of a diabetic foot care center at diabetes clinics in a provincial hospital providing comprehensive prevention and management programs for people with diabetic foot problems. The provincial coordinators will each train 100 primary health care professionals from their province. The primary health care professionals will be trained in clinical examination of feet, giving information related to foot care to patients, and referring diabetics to the next level of care when necessary. The training will emphasize patient self-management and care; primary health care professionals are expected to promote this through patient education sessions at the health facilities and during individual consultations. As a result of this training, 52 foot care centers will be established within diabetes clinics in local health facilities.
In addition, mobile diabetic foot clinics provide prevention, care, and education on diabetic foot care in remote, rural areas. They conduct mass screening camps to detect diabetic foot complications in these remote areas. They are manned by trained health care professionals and operated on a rotating basis throughout Kenya, on average conducting screening and care 4-5 days every 4 months in each province.
