By IANS,
Bangalore : Global healthcare firm Novo Nordisk, in partnership with the state-run postal department, Friday launched an awareness campaign here against diabetes.
“We have delivered one-lakh (100,000) booklets containing information on treating and managing diabetes to recipients through the 9,800 post offices across the state,” Novo Nordisk India managing director Melvin D’souza said at an event here.
According to the health ministry’s latest report, Karnataka has the third highest percentage (10.3) of diabetics in the country, with its coastal areas accounting for 16 percent of type 2 diabetes.
“We need a mass movement at national and state levels against the dreaded disease, as the number of affected people is projected to touch 109 million by 2030 from 65 million currently across the country,” D’souza said.
Coinciding with its theme “Millions of steps to change diabetes”, the company brought out the booklet in the regional language (Kannada) with information and illustrations on how to manage diabetes and create awareness to prevent it.
“The recent diabetes trend in India reflects the shifting demographics of the disease nationwide. Just as the rich-poor divide for diabetes has vanished, so is the urban-rural divide disappearing,” D’souza observed.
As part of the novel campaign, posters on diabetes awareness have been put up in all the 9,800 post offices across the state in English and Kannada to create awareness amongst people.
“We have also produced a diabetes management video, which is beamed across 70 nodal post offices in the state,” Karnataka postmaster general Arundhaty Ghosh said.
Marking this year’s World Diabetes Day, state Health Minister U.T. Khader unveiled a “Special cover” and “My stamp’ on diabetes prevention, detection and management.
“Early detection of complications is an essential part of good diabetes care, which includes regular foot and eye checks, controlling blood pressure and blood glucose, and assessing risks for cardiovascular and kidney disease,” said K.M. Prasanna Kumar, a member of the Association of Physicians of India.