PUDUCHERRY: Stating that Chennai and Puducherry are the capitals of diabetes, Dr K V Raman, Director of Department of Health and Family Welfare Puducherry, called for creating mass awareness on detection and treatment of the disease.
Talking to reporters after inaugurating a programme in which diabetes awareness pledge was taken at the Kamban Kalai Arangam here on Sunday, Dr Raman said that about fifty per cent of deaths in the world are caused due to diabetes-related ailments.
He said, “Diabetes does not discriminate but affects people from all strata of society. Therefore it is important to acknowledge the need to work collaboratively towards prevention, diagnosis and management of diabetes.”
Melvin D’Souza of ‘Novo Nordisk’ said “Diabetes is assuming epidemic proportions. We will continue to reaffirm our commitment to helping diabetes-afflicted people lead a healthy and productive life.”
‘Detect early, Treat early, Control early - Join the fight against Diabetes’ was the key message, the National Insulin Summit sought to convey to the public.
Earlier, a diabetes awareness pledge was taken in which around 500 students were different educational institutions participated.
In order to stress the importance of walking to create a diabetes-free India, participants were given a demonstration, for two minutes, of on-the-spot walking inside the auditorium.
Dr A K Das, Dean, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences and others took part in the function.
According to a release, the Government of Puducherry has undertaken several initiatives to ensure quality healthcare for all citizens including implementation of National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardio Vascular diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) at primary level and setting up of non-communicable disease clinic at Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital and Postgraduate Institute.
Some Facts
India has 68 million people with diabetes, which poses a very real threat to the country’s economic and developmental goals. What is even more a matter of concern is the fact that despite an adult prevalence rate of 6.2 per cent, only 6-7 million people are treated.
Some of the results of late or inadequate treatment, of diabetes, include complications such as heart disease, hypertension, kidney failure, diabetic retinopathy and even death.
Recent studies have shown that early and appropriate use of insulin not only prevents short-term complications but also reduces long-term morbidity and mortality and potentially alter the natural progression of the disease.
Key Global Figures
According to the 2015 IDF Diabetes Atlas estimates
■ One in 11 adults has diabetes (415 million)
■ One in two (46.5%) adults with diabetes is undiagnosed
■ 12% of global health expenditure is spent on diabetes (673 billion US Dollars)
■ One in seven births is affected by gestational diabetes
■ Three-quarters (75%) of people with diabetes live in low- and middle-income countries
■ 5,42,000 children have type I diabetes
■ Every six seconds, a person dies of diabetes (5.0 million deaths)