In order to improve diabetic knowledge and awareness in the UK, we have developed diabetes awareness material, delivered through local media and community workshops. We have developed diabetic and diabetic retinopathy awareness programmes in Nepali, Urdu and Hindi.
In collaboration with various stakeholders, we have held diabetic retinopathy awareness programmes in community centres, religious festivals, mosques and community gatherings in cities that have large number of South Asian population. These include:
- Health camp held by Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA), UK, 25 May 2018
- Health camp held by Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA), Aldershot, 26 May 2019
- Workshop held by Pakistan Community Association of Peterborough, 17 June 2019
- Workshop held by Nepalese Community of Hays and Harlington, 22 September 2019
- Workshop held by Nepalese Society (Shanti Nepali Samaj), Birmingham, 14 October 2019
- Workshop held by Bexley Nepalese Society, 8 February 2020
- Diabetic Retinopathy awareness and prevention session at Gladstone District Community Association, Peterborough, 18 February 2020
- Online workshop for Khidmat Sisters, Cambridge, 5 March 2020
- Workshop held by Shanthona Women's Group, Luton, 9 March 2020
- Online workshop for Syrian refugees, Cambridge, 3 July 2020
- Online seminar organised by Non-Resident Nepali Association on the impact of COVID-19 on diabetes and diabetic eye health, 19 July 2020
Further workshops planned:
- Birmingham Central Mosque (Date to be confirmed)
- My Time Active in London (Date to be confirmed)
Peterborough
Right: Professor Pardhan talking about diabetes and its eye complications to members of Pakistan Association Community of Peterborough, June 2019
"We will share this knowledge and awareness about diabetes and importance of attending retinal screening to our family members and friends who have diabetes."
Participant
Peterborough
Members of the Pakistan Association Community of Peterborough at VERI's workshop about diet, good control of diabetes and retinal screening uptake to reduce the risk of diabetic retinopathy, February 2020.
"I now know that I should go for eye screening."
Participant RD
Peterborough
"Please can we have some more of these sessions?"
Participant RT
Peterborough
Aldershot
Dr Sapkota talking to a resident about diabetes and diabetic retinopathy at an annual health camp organised by Non-Resident Nepali Association UK, May 2019.
"We were ignoring letters by doctors, but we will not ignore then now - we will have our eyes photographed on a regular basis."
Participants UG, KK, YP
Aldershot
Hayes and Harlington, London
"We now know that diabetes can damage our eyes silently. Therefore, we will not ignore any letters that are sent to us asking to attend diabetic eye examinations."
Participant AS
Hayes and Harlington, London
Birmingham
"We did not know that if diabetes is not controlled, the back of our eyes can bleed and our vision will be disturbed significantly."
Participant LT
Birmingham
Bexley and Welling, London
Participants at a diabetic workshop organised by Bexley Nepali Society, London, February 2020
"We did not know that diabetes can become worse if we are stressed and that we can go blind if diabetes is bad."
Particpant BG
Bexley and Welling, London
"I did not know that there is a difference between having my eyes tested for spectacles and for diabetes - I know now."
Participant UG
Bexley and Welling, London
To help improve awareness of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy, VERI staff have been interviewed by ITV Anglia, Salam Radio, online services (OS) Nepal.com, British Force Broadcasting Service (BFBS) Gurkha Radio and Nepali Association in the UK. These interviews, which were also broadcast on social media, have been viewed more than 25,000 times.
