The Department of Health and Family Welfare in Andhra Pradesh has singed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Novo Nordisk Educational Foundation to launch a path breaking diabetes management programme called “Changing Diabetes Barometer of AP” in the state.

The MoU was signed between Praveen Prakash, Commissioner of health and family welfare and Melvin D’Souza, managing trustee of Novo Nordisk at commissioner’s conference hall in Hyderabad.

The main objective of the ‘Changing Diabetes Barometer’ programme is to create awareness among general population about dangers of diabetes by reaching to every common man and it also aims to improve treatment of diabetes with focus on reducing complications related to the disease.

The programme is initially expected to start from  December 15, 2012 in two phases in 5 five select urban and semi urban areas in the state. To begin, under the first phase of the programme Hyderabad and Warangal will be taken up under the Urban area category and in the second phase Tirupathi, Vijayawada, and Visakhapatnam areas are expected to be covered.

While signing the MoU the Commissioner appraised Novo Nordisk Education foundation for coming forward to create awareness on diabetes to the public. Apart from creating awareness the foundation is also providing training to the doctors, paramedics and conducting screening in the urban and semi urban areas in the state.

“Under the national programme for prevention and control of diabetic and hypertension nearly 18.3 lakh people in rural areas of 8 districts have been screened and treated for diabetes till last Saturday. Nellore, Prakasam, Chittoor, Kadapa, Kurnool, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and Krishna districts have been screened and treated with diabetes and the remaining rural districts will also be covered in the next few days,” said the Commissioner.

Taking about Novo’s role in the programme, the managing trustee of Novo Nordisk  Melvin D’Souza said that, the foundation is a non-profit organization and it will work to provide comprehensive education in diabetes and other health care issues by bridging the knowledge gap. It is also aimed at driving improvement of diabetes care there by saving human lives and reducing the economic burden on health care system and society.

Among the officials who took part in the MoU signing programme include Lokesh Kumar D S Mission Director NRHM, Dr S Aruna Kumari, Director of Public Health and Family Welfare, Dr Venkata Rao, Commissioner of AP Vaidya Vidhana Parishad, Dr B L Veenakumari, Joint Director (NCD), Vinay Ramiswal, Trustee of NNEF, Venkat Changavalli, Advisor NNEF, Biranchi Narayan Jena, Project Manager and other officers.