PROJECTS

The health club for people with diabetes in Ibdaa was established in 2007 to serve the Dheisheh refugee camp and the local area.  It now has more than 200 members. The majority is 30-60 years old, although the project also involves around 30 children, for whom special projects are run. By organizing consultations, home visits, presentations and workshops, Ibdaa wants to empower diabetes patients to manage their condition and make them able to participate in the normal life.

The club organizes free consultations with specialists, who visit the medical centre to talk to the patients about their condition, carry out health checks and distribute equipment such as glucometers, glucose strips and blood-pressure monitors whenever possible. Medicines can also be dispensed and club members are referred to the Bethlehem Health Institute if necessary.
If club members are unable to join the activities at the Ibdaa medical centre, the committee carries out home visits to monitor their general health and the status of their diabetes. These visits also provide an important social function and help to maintain links with the community as a whole.