The Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, to offer a one year post graduate certificate in Diabetes Education. This would help to prepare a cadre of Certified Diabetes Educators (CDE) for raising awareness of diabetes among the public. This is the first of its kind course in the country.

The objective of the course is to provide the basic knowledge, skills and attitude to become a CDE and thus help promote diabetes education in the community and influence social changes in diabetes epidemiology.

According to Dr.V.Mohan, Managing Director, MDRF, in countries abroad, the CDEs disseminated information on diabetes to the masses, and thus bridged the gap between diabetologists and the people. "In India, formal courses for them were lacking," Dr. Mohan added, explaining the rationale behind the course.