Sanofi-led new project on diabetes targets 'KiDS'

To create awareness about diabetes among children in the country, global healthcare leader Sanofi today joined hands with two other bodies active in the health sector.
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) have also joined the initiative, 'KiDS' (Kids and Diabetes in Schools).
The initiative will encourage a safe and supportive school environment, raise awareness on diabetes (type 1 and type 2) and benefits of healthy nutrition and exercise habits among schoolchildren, IDF President Michael Hirst told reporters here.
According to an IDF study, diabetes is a major public health challenge in India, which is today ranked number two globally in terms of its spread and impact.

While type 2 has received considerable attention in interventions, it has not been so for juvenile diabetes (type 1), even though 1 out of 5 children with type 1 diabetes in the world would be an Indian, the study said.
If type 1 is not detected and diagnosed, it could pose a grave challenge for children and their families, who need adequate knowledge and resources for effective management of the condition, it said.
Initially, 'Kids' will be launched in Delhi and one year later rolled out across the country, PHFI President K Srinath Reddy said.
"In India, through our alliance with IDF and PHFI, the KiDS project will help children with type 1 diabetes fight discrimination and manage their disease better. The project will also include health education for the schoolchildren to curb the increasing burden of type 2 diabetes," Sanofi Chief Executive Officer Chris Viehbacher said.