DINISA: Healthy Diabetic Patients’ Clinic

WHAT IS DINISA? 

DINISA is an acronym for Diyavadiya Niroginge Sayanayaor Healthy Diabetic Patients’ Clinic. We like to introduce a new concept which is embedded here. Healthy diabetic patient is an oxymoron and we believe persons with diabetes are not patients but normal persons until they let go of themselves and unleash the potential devastation that is diabetes. People do not die of diabetes but from heart attacks, strokes and septicaemia. DINISA is a unique health camp designed and implemented by the Primary Care Diabetes Group in 
Sri Lanka (PCDG). 
PCDG is a collection of primary care physicians, general practitioners and family physicians. It has been in existence for nearly a decade now; steered by the best of the breed in family medicine. Our members have been actively engaged in diabetic research, education and service quality improvements. We have conducted many national and international seminars, workshops and group discussions over the years. Our students have also been a significant source of strength and inspiration to our continuing work in the field of diabetes. 

"Nearly six months back, PCDG decided to take a bold step based on its review of the diabetic service quality in Sri  Lanka"

Nearly six months back, PCDG decided to take a bold step based on its review of the diabetic service quality in Sri  Lanka. It was felt that there was a wide gap between the current diabetes knowledge and service quality experienced by localdiabetic patients. Although there are many reasons for this, having assessed our strengths and weaknesses, we were of the opinion that there is much that could be offered in the current circumstances. 
PCDG decided to raise the quality of services provided to local diabetic patients in whatever way possible. There are two million diabetic patients in Sri Lanka and another two million of a disaster waiting to happen; the pre-diabetics in Sri Lanka. Our overall objective is to achieve a higher quality of services than what is given to our patients currently. 
The average diabetic patient in Sri Lanka is on a course of virtual disaster, debility, disease and death. But the real pathos of this miserable situation will only be realised when you know the next well-known fact – that a diabetic can lead a normal life! Almost all the known complications can be kept at bay by stringent management and self-care of diabetes. 
The health camp organised by PCDG was held on October 28, 2018 at the BMICH Nuga Sevana Hall. With some 100 doctors and 100 volunteers to serve 1,000 diabetic patients, we focused on a two-prong attack; the standards doctors should achieve and standards diabetic patients themselves must undertake. 

• "Free DINISA camps at Galle, Batticaloa, Jaffna, Negombo and BMICH"

• "Galle DINISA on Sunday, March 17, from 8.00  a.m. to 4.00 p.m. at Municipal Ground"

• "There are two million diabetic patients in Sri Lanka and another two million of a disaster waiting to happen; the pre-diabetics in Sri Lanka"

DINISA GALLE

Our success at BMICH last October motivated us to carry out the same exercise throughout the island. We plan to have FREE DINISA camps at Galle, Batticaloa, Jaffna, Negombo and finally at BMICH. Galle DINISA will be held on Sunday, March 17, from 8.00  a.m. to 4.00 p.m.at the Galle Municipal Ground. Clinical services will be the same as those which were provided at BMICH last year. We expect a higher turnover of patients as the location is in the Galle town, adjoining the central bus stand and railway station. The venue is accessible from all suburbs of Galle. 

ONLINE DINISA

While we attempt to accommodate all participants, it will be on a first come, first served basis. All diabetics who participate on that day will be registered because our vision is to serve them with a plan to have an online registration system.  
Online registrants will have access to our PCDG Free Diabetic Resource Bundle which is a suite of software applications providing diet and exercise prescriptions, vaccination advice, psycho-social evaluations and diagnosis. The hyperglycaemia self-assessor is another key application in this software. The programme will guide the patient in self-management of high blood sugar levels at the community level, thus acting as an intelligent advisor. 
Online DINISA will help us achieve our vision of serving all two million diabetics in Sri Lankaand nearly two million pre-diabetics. Our PCDG Free Diabetic Resource Bundle is available free-of-charge for registrants spread across the country. All diabetics are allowed to access the system without any restriction.