Date:20/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/20/stories/2008122060211200.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Private sector urged to assist government in tackling diabetes

Special Correspondent

— Photo: S. Thanthoni

Health Secretary V.K. Subburaj launches the book, ‘Dr. Mohan’s Concise Guide to Diabetes in Children and Adolescents,’ by handing over the first copy to Health Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam in Chennai on Friday. (From left) University of Madras Vice-Chancellor S. Ramachandran, Dr. Mohan’s Diabetes Specialities Centre chairman V. Mohan, and IMA secretary T.N. Ravisankar are in the picture.

CHENNAI: The inspiring story of a successful man who has been on insulin for 54 years ever since he was identified with the disorder as a 16-year-old, huge banners that scream out dos and don’ts, quiz sessions and puppet shows are among the highlights of a four-day exhibition on diabetes that began here on Friday.

Organised by Dr. Mohan’s Diabetes Specialities Centre, the exhibition is being held concurrently at the Rajah Muthiah and Rani Meyyammai Halls — one hall is devoted to the pharmaceutical and diagnostic advances in diabetes care, the other to generate awareness of all aspects of the disorder.

Launching the event, Health Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam called upon the private sector to assist the government’s effort in tackling community health concerns such as diabetes.

The government, he said, was doing everything possible to raise awareness and encourage early detection and management of diabetes.

However, much more needed to be done on this front as the country had emerged as the diabetes capital of the world, and this was possible only with the cooperation of private institutions, he said. The real concern about diabetes was that if left untreated it served as a gateway for other serious disorders, he said.

The Minister also released ‘Dr. Mohan’s Handbook of Diabetes Mellitus’.

Health Secretary V. K. Subburaj said about 2.50 lakh diabetics were detected during the mass screening camps under the “Varumun Kappom” programme of the government. These camps, which identified patients who required treatment, also propagated the messages of early detection and prevention, he said.

The government, which had launched various initiatives for diabetes management, was keen on posting diabetology-trained physicians at the primary care level, he said.

Mr. Subburaj released the ‘Dr. Mohan’s Concise Guide to Diabetes in Children and Adolescents’.

S. Ramachandran, Vice-Chancellor, University of Madras, said the university proposed to strengthen its collaborative programmes in diabetes education and research. The ongoing joint initiatives with Dr. Mohan’s diabetes centre, which is a WHO collaborating centre, would be strengthened, he said.

The Vice-Chancellor released ‘Dr. Mohan’s Diet Manual for Diabetes’.

V. Mohan, chairman of the diabetes centres, said epidemiological surveys had shown that Chennai had a diabetes prevalence of about 20 per cent. In other words, one in five adults was diabetic. Prevalence of diabetes in the population above 60 years of age was 40 per cent and another 30 per cent of the population had Impaired Glucose Tolerance, a pre-diabetes stage, he said.

The exhibition had been revived after a gap of nearly five years on the prompting of the WHO, he said.

T. N. Ravisankar, secretary, Tamil Nadu branch of the Indian Medical Association, said diabetes management had improved so vastly that living with the disorder was hardly a bitter experience any more.

He released a food guide for health eating and exercise manual for diabetes.