State Planning Commission Vice President Dr A Ravindra called upon the medical fraternity to work towards imparting health education to all since the number of diabetics in India - which is marching towards economically stronger position - is increasing at an alarming rate.

He was speaking after inaugurating a workshop on ‘Control and management of diabetic retinopathy’ at Sri Devaraja Urs Medical University at Tamaka. on the outskirts of Kolar on Wednesday.

The country is achieving economically stronger status and simultaneously, the diease that is popularly known as ‘rich man’s disease’ was also affecting increased number of people irrespective of their financial status.  Hence, there is a need to provide  guidance and treatment to this condition, he observed.

“Change in lifestyle and eating habits has led to this steep increase in number of diabetics. There are hardly any families that have remained unaffected by the diease,” he pointed out, adding this can be brought under control with the help of proper medication.

Healthy society

Emphasising on the need to empower people in rural areas with knowledge about precautions, control and management of the diease, Dr Ravindra said this is an essential step towards building a ‘healthy society’. He called upon the medical fraternity to take up the task of creating healthy communities in places like Kolar while plans such as ‘Health City’ - a health related project was being launched in Bangalore. 

Devaraja Urs Medical College was working towards ensuring health for labourers, members of organised and unorganised sectors, workers in the field of sericulture and also that of farmers and creating awareness by organising health camps, he said.

Medical community should work towards removing the nonchalant attitude of the rural community towards health and also superstitions attached to it, he said. Devaraja Urs Medical University Vice Chancellor Dr S Chandrashekhara Shetty said a small project has been drawn up to eradicate Diabetic retinopathy. This is being implemented with the help of some local organisations.

Health camps

Similarly, health camps at Kolar and Chikkaballapur districts and all taluka centres will be held at regular intervals.
Eye-checkup camps for workers will be held in association with doctors from BEML Eye Hospital in KGF, he added.

President of Devaraja Urs Medical University and sitting MP R L Jalappa said though the state and central government together were spending crores of rupees on health services to all, healthcare was still not accessible to people from all strata of the society.

Slow killer

“Diabetes is increasing with time. This disease kills people slowly but surely.  There is a need to provide proper guidance to people regarding the matter,” he said.

Elaborating further, he said his institute would implement a programme on control and management of diabeteic retinopathy with an emphasis on rural people and poorest of the poor. 

“This will help people at large. Health camps will be held at regular intervals,” he said. Dr Fair Huget of World Health Organsation, Dr Pandurangi, Pro-chancellor of the University Dr Gurumurthy, A R Patil, Dr Krishnamurthy, Dr K S Nagesh and others were present.