In the present day world of increasing life-style diseases, pharmacists with knowledge and skill for counselling have significant role in diabetes prevention and management. In western countries, counseling pharmacists are the vital members in the programs for diabetes prevention, said Dr. Muthukumar, managing director of Diasem Healthcare Ltd, Chennai.
 
Stating that India may become the ‘diabetes capital of the world’ by the year 2020, he said today about 80 million people in the country are with pre-diabetic symptoms.  One out of five persons in Chennai is pre-diabetic and 40 – 45% of the rich people are affected by diabetes. In 2035, 55% of the world population will become diabetic if proper treatments are not taken, he said.

Dr. Muthukumar was delivering a lecture on, “Role of pharmacists in the prevention and management of diabetes”, in a seminar organised by TN IPA to felicitate the award winning pharmacy students in Chennai.  TN pharmaceutical welfare trust has selected some students for various pharmacy awards.

Referring to Dr. Mike Holden, chief executive of the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) in US, he stated that, “pharmacists play a key role in the delivery of quality diabetes care. They are the most appropriately qualified to support patients on how to use their medicines to manage their condition. And, they can advise on recommended lifestyle and dietary interventions”. Dr. Muthukumar said in western countries, pharmacists get education and special training in diabetes management involving them as one of the healthcare team. He said only six year pharmacy course (Pharm D) completed pharmacists are allowed to dispense drugs in US.

Congratulating the award winning students, Dr. Muthukumar informed the future pharmacists that they are one of the direct providers of healthcare and members of an interdisciplinary team. Besides providing pharmaceutical care to the patients, the pharmacists give counseling to them. Since they are acting as vital link between patients and doctors, pharmacists often take the role of consultants too. He said the counselling pharmacists need exclusive information about the knowledge of the clinical and demographic characteristics of the targeted population and he should have a written plan for informational and preventive efforts.

The diabetologist wanted the healthcare teams and institutions engage in the management and prevention of diabetes in the country to involve more number of pharmacists in disease prevention measures and health promotion activities.