world diabetes day – The Metrognome

Doctors will become teachers for World Diabetes Day

The Indian Diabetic Foundation (IDF) launches nationwide campaign to curb the spread of early onset of diabetes among school children.

by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

In probably the largest initiative of its kind, aimed at creating awareness on childhood obesity and diabetes, The Indian Diabetic Federation (IDF) in collaboration with Fortis Raheja Hospital has initiated a nationwide campaign to curb the spread of early development of diabetes among school children.In its initial phase, the campaign would cover city-based schools with diabetologists and nutritionists delivering guest lecture’s in schools on health benefits associated with the intake of healthy breakfast.

The launch of this nationwide campaign will happen today, November 14, which is World Diabetes Day and is also observed as Children’s Day in India.

“The focus is on motivating children to consume a healthy breakfast. When awareness is inculcated in children, it easily reaches their parents. When children start advising adults on the harmful effects of fast food accumulation, it can easily bring about a solution. Our effort is to create awareness among the students and teachers about the value of nutrition and healthy food, the difference between junk and poisonous food and inculcating the values of consuming homemade food,” said Dr Anil Bhoraskar, Diabetologist, Fortis Raheja Hospital and the Chair Elect of South East Asia – Indian Diabetic Federation.

Dr Bhoraskar added, “Through the series of lectures, we strongly recommend that people should avoid sugar and fats in their daily intake, as it contains high Omega 6 and Omega 3 fatty acids. If people do not take proper breakfast in the morning, they tend to munch more of fatty foods, which are high on salts and detrimental to the body. The disease normally seen in adults because of obesity is now being seen with an increasing frequency in children, particularly Type 2 Diabetes. Today, more number of children below 12 years are susceptible to type 2 Diabetes and the complications worsen post the age of 20 years.”

The IDF hopes that the programme will sensitise children and parents about the serious problem of childhood obesity caused due to the intake of unhealthy breakfast. In an effort to educate parents about feeding their children with healthy breakfast, IDF has decided to distribute booklets on nutrition and its positive effects on their child’s health.

(Pictures courtesy www.niticentral.com, www.thehealthsite.com. Images are used for representational purpose only)

Massive diabetes awareness drive in Mumbai today

BMC and CII join hands for ‘Drive against diabetes’ across city; want to screen 2,00,000 Mumbaikars across the city today.

by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

With World Diabetes Day around the corner, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) launched a ‘Drive against Diabetes’ campaign yesterday. The public private partnership model hopes to mobilise people to join the fight against diabetes – they are aiming to screen at least 2,00,000 people across the city today.

Corporates like Apollo Hospitals, Apollo Munich, OneTouch, Abbott, SANOFI and several others have come forward to support the initiative. Screening centres will be marked by blue balloons – citizens must simply walk in and ask to be screened.

Prabhu said, “Today, diabetes is one of the major conditions affecting people’s health and lifestyle. It is estimated that by 2030, the diabetic population will be around 10 crore. Out of which 6.2 per cent are expected to be suffering from diabetes and 15 per cent from blood pressure. Within India, Mumbai is leading this race to the top – the city experiences a hectic work culture, high levels of stress and fewer sleeping hours. During the drive, we expect that even if 10,000 to 12,000 people are tested positive for diabetes, we will incorporate that in the MCGM’s database and an SMS alert will be sent to them after three months suggesting the next level of detailed diagnostics. The testing of 2,00,000 people in a single drive is a record in itself, but I will be happy if 5,00,000 people are tested in the next drive and fewer are diagnosed positive for diabetes.”

The BMC had started a drive against diabetes in 2011, when 21,700 people were diagnosed with diabetes at the dispensary level. Currently, there are more than 86,000 diabetics on the BMC database. “Of these, 15 per cent who are at the initial stage [of the disease] are being suggested lifestyle modifications and 61 per cent and 22 per cent detected with controlled and uncontrolled diabetes respectively are under the MCGM medical care programme,” says Manisha Patankar-Mhaiskar, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Western suburbs). “But the ambition is to create awareness of diabetes and not to focus on numbers,” she adds.

Over 500 screening centres will be set up today across the BMC’s ward offices and in over 40 member companies of CII (Reliance, Larsen & Toubro, ICICI, Star Indian, Mahindra, Bajaj, Blue Dart, etc.), chemists, pharmacists and public places in Mumbai that will target to screen over 2,00,000 individuals reaching out to the workforce as well as the larger community. Blue balloons will identify these centres. Over 700 paramedics will also be mobilised across Mumbai to test individuals across industries. The private sector has come forward to provide screening kits including glucometers, strips, swabs, lancets, information booklets and questionnaires alongside training and capacity building for the paramedics.

“This drive will generate significant data which will help understand the incidence and prevalence of diabetes,” Patankar-Mhaiskar says. “It will be analysed to generate a final report on the state of diabetes prevalence in Mumbai, generic recommendations on the way forward as well as lessons learnt during this massive community led drive. Such a report will be useful to policy makers, programme officers, healthcare providers as well as other agencies working in the area of diabetes.”