UK undertakes pilot study to enhance PHC's services in India

British Deputy High Commissioner, Mike Nithavrianakis said this while announcing "Indo-UK Diabetes Summit" scheduled to be held on January 18 and 19 next year in Chennai.

"It is in the early stages. I have recently met the Kerala Health Secretary (to discuss about this matter)..," Nithavrianakis told reporters here.

The British Government would send their General Practioners to three Public Health Centres located in the semi-urban areas of Thiruvananthapuram to train the doctors there to "enhance" the facilities provided by them, he said.

The model may be replicated in Tamil Nadu, he said.

Meanwhile speaking on the Indo-UK Diabetes Summit, Nithavrianakis said British Deputy High Commission, the UK Trade and Investment and Indo-British Health Initiative are jointly organising it.

V Mohan, Organising Committee Chairman of the Summit, said every year one million diabetic patients were added in India.

He said in the last few years there has been constant increase in diabetes cases in rural areas as compared to urban areas.

"While close to 20 per cent of adult population in cities like Chennai have diabetes, for example, it is 14.6 per cent in a rural area in Kerala", he said, citing a study conducted by Indian Council of Medical Research.

About 500 delegates are expected to attend the summit which would have several seminars by professors from United Kingdom universities, Mohan said.