With its mission and vision of changing diabetes, Novo Nordisk's Changing Diabetes Bus reached Mumbai after a world tour by imparting awareness on diabetes and its social, humanitarian and economic consequences, while strongly reminding the populace of the three microvascular complications of diabetes - neuropathy, nephropathy or kidney pathology and retinopathy.

The Novo Nordisk Changing Diabetes Bus would help people understand what diabetes is all about, its manifold complications and its causes and control factors. Novo Nordisk history, business practices, details of the company's efforts to search for a cure for the dreaded disease with the Hagedorn Research Institute are also portrayed. There is also a special interactive chapter in the Bus dedicated to children and young adults with details of diet control and a quiz to better understand the disorder. Other activities include a website and various in-house awareness schemes for schools and healthcare institutions.

"With the alarming prevalence of diabetes in India, at around 40.9 million, which is estimated to grow up to 80 million by 2025, there is an imperative need to draw serious attention to Indians about the causes, symptoms, complications and modern treatment modalities in diabetes. The visit of the Novo Nordisk Changing Diabetes Bus to India is a major initiative to draw significant attention to the issues revolving around diabetes in the country and provide focused awareness. The focus of the Changing Diabetes Bus in India is to draw attention of people, especially the youth, who are at the highest potential risk of diabetes in the years to come." said Melvin D'Souza, regional managing director, Novo Nordisk India Private Limited.

Novo Nordisk believes that by encouraging a healthier diet and regular exercise from an early age and by confronting the obesity epidemic head-on it can help to prevent type 2 diabetes altogether," said D'Souza.

Since its launch in September 2006, the Changing Diabetes Bus has already visited various countries across four continents: Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, South Africa, Australia, China, Japan, Canada, USA and is now in India. In its tour across the globe the Bus has garnered the support of schools, hospitals, parliaments, pharmacies and town squares and has delivered its message of diabetes care.

Novo Nordisk is working with International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and United Nations to create a change at the global level. The Changing Diabetes Bus forms an important part of achieving this goal.