Joana Gonçalves is all too familiar with the hallway of the endocrinology and diabetes department at the children’s ward at the Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg (CHL). The young woman was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as a child and has since had to visit the hospital every few months for a check-up.
Once Joana turned 18, she had to switch from a paediatrician to a general practitioner. After being treated by the same doctor for many years, the transition to a new physician proved difficult – as it is for many patients with her condition.
This is where the OBEDIA Kids project aims to help ease the transition for young patients with diabetes or obesity. However, this is only one part of the project’s broader mission.
Although the project focuses on both diseases, specialists underline that it is important, especially when dealing with children, not to establish a direct link between them.
Joana and her sister were not simply transferred to the adult ward at 18. When they felt ready, they switched to an adult specialist at the age of 19.
In response to the worrying rise in obesity and diabetes among children and adolescents, Luxembourg established OBEDIA Kids in 2024, a national network of expertise dedicated to diabetes and severe obesity. The network brings together three key partners: the Hospital Centre of Luxembourg (CHL), the Robert Schuman Hospitals, and the National Centre for Functional Rehabilitation and Readaptation, known locally as the Rehazenter.
Its mission is to prevent, detect and coordinate the care of young patients within a structured and collaborative framework, as outlined on the CHL website. The OBEDIA Kids network aims to provide optimal care for children with diabetes and obesity through a multidisciplinary approach, both within and outside hospital settings.
It also ensures effective coordination between the various stakeholders involved, including hospitals, private practitioners, and medico-social services, while maintaining continuity of care between paediatric and adult treatment pathways. In addition, patient care pathways are regularly evaluated to guarantee personalised and high-quality treatment.
