Novo Nordisk partners with the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for diabetes awareness and screening campaign for its 4,000 pourakarmikas (sanitation workers) from the east zone of the city corporation. This camp was the first camp after which it is proposed to the screen the pourakarmikas from the seven other zones.

The move comes in as part of the World Diabetes Day events organised by the Novo Nordisk Education Foundation. The event was inaugurated by BN Manjunath Reddy, mayor, Bengaluru in the presence of G Kumar Naik, commissioner, BBMP and Melvin Dsouza, managing trustee, Novo Nordisk Education Foundation. The awareness and screening camp highlights the theme: Join the fight against diabetes.

India has around 68 million diabetics. The awareness camp symbolically acknowledged the 387 million people estimated to live with diabetes worldwide, with the number of people suffering from disease set to rise beyond 592 million in less than 25 years. The big  concern is that despite an adult prevalence rate of 6.2 per cent, only 6-7 million people are treated. Some of the results of late or inadequate treatment of diabetes include complications such as heart disease, hypertension, kidney failure, diabetic retinopathy and even death, according to Novo Nordisk Education Foundation.

“There is an urgent need from stakeholders across including government and private parties to create a conducive environment and infrastructure for proper diagnosis and management of diabetes in India. The BBMP pourakarmikas work round the clock and therefore following a healthy lifestyle is improbable. This means that possibility of developing diabetes is higher. We are happy to support the people who serve our city and help them lead a healthy life,” said Melvin D’Souza, managing trustee, Novo Nordisk Education Foundation.

“Diabetes is a silent killer, due to lack of awareness, a large percentage of people don’t even know they have this disorder. Awareness creation and screening for early detection through such screening camps are important to fight against diabetes,” said Dr. KM Prasanna Kumar, senior endocrinologist and diabetologist and CEO of Bangalore Diabetes Hospital.