Sandalwood Actress - Ms Ramya Barna flagged off the campaign by officially turning the ‘Blue Light’ ON at the Flagship Manipal Hospital in Bangalore at a brief event at the hospital also inaugurating the public awareness poster exhibition and a screening package-ABC to mark the Diabetes Day.
World Diabetes Day is a primary global awareness campaign on Diabetes Mellitus and is held on November 14 of each year. The campaign aims to educate, engage and empower youth and the general public on diabetes. Since the slogan for this year is ‘Diabetes: Protect our future’, the special focus has been put on children and young people to recognize the importance of early awareness of the risks and dangers of Diabetes. The people who are likely to develop Type 2 Diabetes fall under the age group 25–45 years. Since it is coinciding with Children’s Day, Manipal Hospitals also conducted competitions such as Drawing, Fancy Dress and Magic Show for children patients to raise the awareness level within and outside the hospital.
Manipal Hospitals has planned a week long campaign to create awareness among patients, employees, corporate clients and common public. The campaign has multiple awareness tools, namely the ‘Blue Light Projection on the Buildings’, ‘Take the Stairs – Every Step Counts! Campaign’ for its employees, display of ‘Diabetes Awareness’ poster in corporate houses, flash mob, health check packages etc.
· The significance of ‘Take the Stairs – Every Step Counts!’ campaign is targeted towards its employees to raise awareness and alert about the importance of regular physical activity which can help reduce or delay the development of Type 2 diabetes by nearly 60 percent
· Walking is the best way to stay fit, it improves circulation and mobility, helps in weight loss and even helps reduce stress
Dr H Sudarshan Ballal, Medical Director, Manipal Hospitals said “Diabetes is the no 1 public enemy as far as Non Communicable diseases are concerned and the need of the hour is to spread awareness on combating this lifestyle disease. We at Manipal Hospital initiate this drive to educate and make people aware to lead a healthy life on World Diabetes Day.
Dr Arpandev Bhattacharya, HOD, Dept of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Manipal Hospital, Bangalore says “Diabetes is the major healthcare problem in India. According to the International Diabetes Federation, there were an estimated 40 million persons with diabetes in 2007 and this number is predicted to rise to almost 70 million people by 2025. Every fifth person with diabetes is expected to have Diabetes by the year 2025”.
Dr. Mohan Badgandi, Consultant in Diabetes, Endocrinology, Obesity & Metabolic Medicine, Manipal Hospital, Bangalore said, “Over the past decade there has been an alarming rise in the number of diabetics in India, with many being unaware that they have the disease. Given the social and economic impact of diabetes, it is important to make concentrated efforts to help create awareness about diagnosis, management and treatment of diabetes.”
Diabetes is a chronic disease, which occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces, which leads to an increased concentration of glucose in the blood. The prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes is skyrocketing around the world, mostly affecting the children and teenagers, said
The factors that cause Diabetes can be attributed to excess weight, lack of regular exercise, unhealthy food habits, smoking and leading a stressful lifestyle. Eventually, diabetes can damage the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves. Thus it is very essential for the entire family to be involved in beating this deadly and silent killer says Dr Karthik Prabhakar, consultant, diabetes and endocrinology, Manipal Hospital
Common Consequences of Diabetes
· Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, almost 50 percent of people with Diabetes die of cardiovascular disease
· Diabetic Retinopathy is an important cause of blindness and as a result can accumulate damage to the small blood vessels in the retina
· Diabetes can lead to kidney failures and also cause sexual and urological problems
Preventive measures:
Simple lifestyle measures have been shown to be effective in preventing or delaying the onset of Type 2 Diabetes. To help prevent Type 2 Diabetes and its complications, people should:
Increase in physical activities
Maintaining healthy diet
Avoid tobacco use
Regular meditation and regulating cholesterol levels
About Manipal Hospitals:
Manipal Health Enterprises (MHE), a part of Manipal Education & Medical Group, is a leading healthcare provider delivering quality healthcare in India. Operating as ‘Manipal Hospitals’, MHE manages an aggregate of 4,900 beds among 15 hospitals, over 11 locations across 5 states in India. The network of hospitals covers all levels of delivery from primary to quaternary care. It has, over the years, built a significant, committed clinical and healthcare skill pool of over 2,000 doctors and 6,000 nurses, paramedics and support staff. Dedicated to its core values of “Clinical Excellence, Patient Centricity and Ethical Practices”, MHE delivers the highest standards of healthcare to its patients. MHE's hospital network annually services over 2 million patients coming from all parts of India & abroad.
