India joins global experts in 200-day plan to tackle diabetes

In order to reduce the growing burden of Type 2 diabetes in the country, experts from India participated in the Global Diabetes Policy Forum which issued a 200-day action plan for affected countries.

The action plan, laying out monthly targets, activities to reach these, the person/organisation responsible for each country, and including recommendations like early action, prevention, detection, control and access to the right interventions, came at the two-day event, organised by pharmaceutical major AstraZeneca, that ended on Thursday, said an Indian participant.

"Type 2 diabetes is a ticking time bomb for our country. Every year, more and more people in India are diagnosed with this condition. It puts increasing pressure on our health system, and more importantly it makes life extremely difficult for individuals and their families," Ashok K Das, Professor at Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences in Puducherry, who was one of the experts representing India at the Forum, said in a statement.

Type 2 diabetes currently affects more than 69.1 million people in India. Poorly controlled Type 2 diabetes can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, blindness, kidney failure, amputations and premature death. It is estimated that 1 million deaths per year in India are attributable to Type 2 diabetes.

"Our recommendations are aimed at encouraging government, fellow physicians and patients to take early action to prevent, diagnose and control Type 2 diabetes. The earlier we act, the longer and healthier we live," added Sanjay Kalra from Bharti Hospital in Haryana's Karnal.

Experts from India also joined in signing The Berlin Declaration -- a manifesto establishing foundational principles as well as specific targets and policy recommendations to help countries formulate and implement policies most likely to improve health outcomes for people living with, or at risk of, diabetes.

--IANS

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