Expressing their concern over the menace of ever rising cases of diabetes, healthcare experts felt that it has become a contemporary healthcare challenge which needs to be nipped in the bud rather than crying foul at the later stage, when it reaches epidemic proportions.
According to Dr. G.V. Murthy, director of Indian Institute of Public Health, diabetes is creeping underneath and India has become already the diabetic capital of the world and it is high time that the state and central governments must take urgent policy initiatives to tackle the menace before it reaches to uncontrolled epidemic proportions.
“Diabetes has no visible symptoms; it is creeping underneath and has become cause of various serious ailments like brain stroke and heart attacks. The fast changing food habits and sedentary working conditions and low physical work life styles has led to the fast rise of diabetes. It is very important to act now or we may lose control over the rising epidemic,” observed Dr. G. V. Murthy, while speaking at a diabetes awareness programme in Hyderabad.
Healthcare experts say that India is leading the top 10 countries in the world in terms of number of diabetes population, which is estimated to be more than 150 million. Recent estimates from various surveys have shown that there are 75 million diabetics and another 70 million in the pre-diabetic stage.
Experts observed that the major problem is that half of the population who are diabetic are unaware that they have diabetes and the condition is noticed only when they have a complication. Goverdhan Mandula, a senior general physician explains that the survey reports conducted on diabetic population in India has really come as a shocker and it reflects the actual picture that is witnessed in hospitals and during clinical level assessments. “All those who are above 35-40 years needs to get their blood sugar levels checked frequently, because it is the only way to put patients on control,” said Mandula.
Experts felt that the only way to control diabetes is to adopt healthy food habits and take measures to go for lifestyle changes. They suggested that every individual must go for at least 150 minutes of aerobic exercises and brisk walking every day.
Among all the populations, the high risk groups are mothers who have suffered gestational diabetes during pregnancy and their children. All such patients needs to get evaluated and must check their weights and needs to control abdominal obesity to keep a tab on the growing menace.
Experts also suggested that the state and central governments must take initiatives to set up helpline centres to help the patients to manage the disease.