Diabetes and health awareness in India.

Sir,

The recent article on pre-Ramadan education on diabetes stresses the need to raise public awareness about this lifestyle disease.[1] As emphasized in this study, the complications could be mitigated if patients and physicians were oriented toward the need of timely dissemination of relevant knowledge. This holds true for India, the so-called “diabetes capital of the World.” With an estimated 69.1 million cases of diabetes in 2015, the country faces an immense challenge in its health sector.[2]

To address the challenge, the government recently came up with a population-based screening program for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including diabetes, for people above 30 years of age. The strategy of equipping frontline health workers with glucometers is expected to promote health monitoring, early diagnosis, and treatment. The influx of the health workers into the community is also expected to promote the much-required awareness of a change in food habits, physical inactivity, smoking, and alcohol misuse,– and thus endorse the promotion of health. The screening will also address the problem of poor health-seeking behavior and reduce complications. This approach signifies a paradigm shift, as previous community-based activities were largely limited to maternal and child health, and communicable diseases. For NCDs, the previous strategy was “opportunistic screening” since the doctor at the health facility usually screened patients who presented with some other complaints for NCDs.[3]

With the introduction of this community screening and the expansion of NCD clinics in most districts, the National Program for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke will synchronize the efforts at the district level and below. Since diabetes is spreading fast among low socio-economic groups,[4] we need to pledge to forestall this escalation as declared at the high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. The projection is that there will be 140 million cases by 2040 in the country. Our task, therefore, is to mobilize the community, increase their awareness of the disease and make a coordinated effort to stem the tide.[2]

Financial support and sponsorship

Nil.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.