Date:09/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/09/stories/2008070954120500.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

PACE spreads diabetes awareness

Special Correspondent

The project delivered prevention messages to nearly two million people in Chennai

— Photo: R. Shivaji Rao

FACTS AND FIGURES: V. Mohan, president, Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, handing over the PACE report to Director of Public Health S. Elango in Chennai on Tuesday. V. Narayanan, director, Chennai Willingdon Corporate Foundation, is also in the picture.

CHENNAI: A three-year study by the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation has shown that mass awareness and screening programmes are feasible and, through community empowerment, they can help in prevention and control of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and its complications on a large scale.

In a paper published in the Journal of the Association of Physicians of India (JAPI) by S. Somannavar et al in June 2008, the authors estimated that diabetes prevention messages were taken to nearly two million people in Chennai through the Prevention, Awareness, Counselling, and Evaluation (PACE) Diabetes Project, between 2004 and 2007. In terms of percentage, awareness had increased by nearly 6 per cent, and in sheer numbers, it would be 1,80,000 persons who had been newly sensitised to diabetes. Even more significant was the leap in awareness of diabetes-related complications among the public, V. Mohan, co-author and president of the foundation, told reporters on Tuesday. It had increased to 48.2 per cent from 19 per cent during 2001-2002.

He handed over the PACE report to Director of Public Health S. Elango in the presence of V. Narayanan, of Chennai Willingdon Corporate Research Foundation, which funded the PACE project.

Over the period, education was provided through multiple forms and venues, including camps to test blood glucose. A total of 774 education sessions were conducted, and 675 of them also screened blood. The team exceeded its target of reaching out to 50,000 people through blood tests and covered 76,645 individuals, Dr. Mohan said.

Also, 176 PACE Diabetes Education Counters were started across Chennai to provide the public with information. Besides SMS, television and radio shows broadcast awareness messages. A total of 232 general practitioners were trained to improve treatment methods and initiate blood glucose testing through camps. PACE also increased awareness of risk factors and the knowledge that it is preventable through lifestyle modifications.

An editorial in the July 2008 issue of JAPI also commends the work done by the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation without any support from the government. It suggests: “The PACE Diabetes Project can be considered a model for the Government of India to adopt in its recently launched National Programme for Prevention and Control of Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke.”