3rd Quarter: July through September 2017
Research University of Washington: Based on contract with SMART telephone we began to send voice messages on August 8th for 6 months to about 1500 patients. We distributed CHUWI Tablets to 2 x 25 Peer Educators in Phnom Penh, Kampong Speu, Kampong Thom and Kampong Cham. Our study population is about 4100 patients in total and 75 peer educators.
Actual Transfer of responsibility for Medical Consultations to local Hospitals: We had visited all OD’s in June/July to negotiate that the Hospital Doctors will do the consultations themselves, instead of the Doctors that we hire from Phnom Penh. We saw a slight drop in numbers of medical consultations but we will wait and see. We have agreed a collaboration with Center of HOpe so that they will re-train 2 Doctors per OD in 2-week periods at Center of HOpe. We pay accommodation, food, per diem, transport, and we pay USD 150 per trainee per week as training fee to Center of Hope.
Ministry of Interior: we received approval of our new Articles of Association and recognition of MoPoTsyo’s new Board; We have sent information to MoEF, MoH. We have changed the signature of previous President Dr Ou Vun to new President Mr Men Cheanrithy in all MoPoTsyo bank accounts.
UNIATF (United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on Prevention and Control of NCD came to Cambodia and MoPoTsyo was invited by MOH and we joined 1 day in 3-day workshop to contribute ideas, on 9 August 2017 at Phnom Penh Hotel
UK NGO A4D came to visit our office on 17 august to discuss how they can support children with Diabetes. This is the second visit in 2 years. We will see.
MSF France: Priority for diabetes patients: free Hepatitis C treatment for members of MoPoTsyo with diabetes PLUS Hep C. The first diabetic member of MoPoTsyo started free treatment on 24 August 2017, a drop-out from a private clinic treated there with only 1 drug instead of 2.
Ministry of Interior: We submitted timely our the financial information on 2016, that MoI requires from NGO. Ministry of Health: We prepared draft MoU 2018-2020, including 3 year budget, and 3 year activity plan.
Research University of Washington: We have upgraded the internet for 50 Peer Educators. We hope that this will motivate them. They complained about slow connections.
Trip to USA: Our Head of Program, HEANG Hen and I have been invited to join presentation of our cooperation with University of Washington’s (Seattle) on mobile health at APHA (Atlanta) and NIH (Washington DC) in early November, so we are going there on a 5-day trip from 3 november till 9 nov.
TB & DM: On Friday 29 september 2017, MoPoTsyo presented at meeting organized by CENAT on how to link between Diabetes and Tuberculosis program (Siem Reap)
Qualitative Research: Faculty of Medicine associated researcher from Singapore, Dr NANG Ei Ei Khaing contacted us to do qualitative research on barriers to diabetes care. She has permission from the NECHR. She will conduct Focus Groups in Banteay Meanchey, SIem Reap and Phnom Penh. We will facilitate for her. She will also conduct FGD in other provinces where we do not have peer educator networks, so she will be able to make comparisons. Time Table is for October/November.
Bridges: The IDF International Diabetes Federation funded a translational research program with several research projects. One of the research projects was a 3-country study involving MoPoTsyo. Now even their Home page shows MoPoTsyo, see https://www.idf.org/our-activities/epidemiology-research/bridges.html
Publication: Peer reviewed article appeared in PLOS about Evaluation of MoPoTsyo programme in Takeo 2007-2013 by Dr Dawn Taniguchi. http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0181582
Swiss MoPoTsyo: There exists now a Swiss Foundation of diabetes carers called MoPoTsyo to help raise funds MoPoTsyo, initiative of our donor Dr Straumann, a Swiss Diabetologist. We use her funds to support our work in Banteay Meanchey and in Svay Rieng.