The TREND project: strengthening health workers’ skills to improve the prevention and management of diabetes and hypertension

In Liberia, diabetes and hypertension are a growing public health concern. Prevention and care are hampered by limited public awareness, a shortage of trained health workers, and challenges in referring and following up patients. Health facilities also face gaps in equipment and health data management.

With financial support from Sanofi, IECD is implementing the TREND project in Grand Bassa and Bomi counties. Over 18 months, the project supports 24 primary healthcare facilities, strengthening the skills of health workers and community health teams to prevent, detect and manage diabetes and hypertension closer to where people live.

The project draws on the World Health Organization’s Package of Essential Noncommunicable Disease Interventions for Primary Health Care (WHO PEN) to deliver lasting improvements in the quality of care.

The project focuses on four key areas:

• Train and support health workers: strengthen the skills of facility staff, community health services supervisors and community health assistants to prevent, detect and manage diabetes and hypertension.
• Raise public awareness and promote early detection: inform communities about risk factors, prevention and treatment options, and organise screening campaigns.
• Equip health facilities: provide screening equipment to help identify people living with diabetes or hypertension.
• Improve patient monitoring and health data management: provide standardised registers and strengthen data collection and reporting within the national health information system.

By aligning with Ministry of Health guidelines and strengthening local teams’ skills and tools, TREND helps embed the prevention and management of diabetes and hypertension in Liberia’s health system for the long term.