Our Bureau

Hyderabad , June 19

WITH diabetes assuming proportions of an epidemic, the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government has decided to set up a National Taskforce on Diabetes.

Announcing this at a press conference here on Saturday, the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Anbumani Ramadoss, said the taskforce would have noted doctors, scientists and other experts as members.

After getting recommendations from the taskforce, the Government would chalk out an awareness campaign, telling people how to keep themselves away from diabetes. He said about five-eight per cent of the population were afflicted with the disease.

The Union Government would convene a national-level Health Ministers' conference in New Delhi in September.

The Minister said the Government would give priority to rural health.

It would review the Medical Council of India guidelines and would amend them appropriately to plug loopholes with regard to fee structure and admissions. There were allegations that several private medical colleges had been flouting rules.

He warned private medical colleges of stringent action if they violated the norms.

Earlier addressing the staff of the National institute of Nutrition (NIN), Dr Anbumani said the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act would be made more stringent and NIN's scientists would be actively involved in the process.

The Union Minister was apprised of the institute's activities by Dr B. Sivakumar and Dr Ghafoorunnissa, officers-in-charge of NIN and the National Centre for Laboratory Animal Sciences, respectively.

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