Jammu, Srinagar : World diabetes day was observed with great zest across Jammu and Kashmir, with the aim to increase awareness and screen people for diabetes in line with this year’s theme “access to diabetes education”.
All levels of health facilities from medical colleges to health and wellness centres organized education camps in which people were invited and provided information on preventing diabetes and ensuring early diagnosis. It was supplemented by providing free diagnostic services in which blood sugar was estimated in addition to hypertension screening.
In today’s world diabetes day, more than 52000 were educated on diabetes prevention, risk factors and benefits of controlling blood sugar. In addition, 42000 were screened for diabetes from which 1900 new diabetics were identified who were counseled regarding further steps to be undertaken. The screening and awareness campaign will help in early detection of diabetic patients and in generating mass awareness about the disease.
Pertinently, World diabetes day is marked every year on 14th November, the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who co-discovered insulin along with Charles Best in 1922. This year diabetes day is special as it marks a century of insulin discovery which revolutionized diabetes care.
World Diabetes Day provides an opportunity to raise awareness of diabetes as a global public health issue and what needs to be done, collectively and individually, for better prevention, diagnosis and management of the condition.
The theme for World diabetes day 2022 is “Access to Diabetes Education” which aims to focus on the importance of improving knowledge about diabetes among general population, healthcare workers and policy makers.
Jammu & Kashmir National Health Mission is implementing multiple health programs which aim to improve lifestyle behaviours, early diagnosis, free treatment, early identification/management of diabetic complications and provision of specialized health services. The comprehensive primary health care programme has already done risk assessment for 24 Lakh individuals and screened more than 7 lakh individuals aged 30 years and above this year.
J&K has recently framed an action plan to achieve universal screening for common Non Communicable Diseases which includes diabetes and aims to complete universal screening by January 2023 under which all individuals aged 30 years and above will be screened for hypertension, diabetes, oral cancer, breast cancer and cervical cancer.
