Diabetes

According to International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Diabetes Atlas (7th Edition), China has the largest number of diabetes patients (11.43 crore), followed by India (7.29 crore) in 2017.

As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4); 2015-16, 5.8% women and 8.0% men in India are having blood sugar level above 140 mg/dl, in the age group of 15–49 years.

The factors responsible for increase in diabetes are unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, harmful use of alcohol, over-weight/obesity, and tobacco use.

The Government of India is implementing the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) for interventions up to the district level under the National Health Mission (NHM). It has focus on awareness generation for behaviour and life-style changes, screening and early diagnosis of persons with high level of risk factors and their treatment and referral (if required) to higher facilities for appropriate management for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) including diabetes.

Under NPCDCS, testing, diagnosis and treatment facilities for diabetes are provided through different levels of healthcare by setting up NCD Clinics in District Hospitals and Community Health Centres (CHCs). The treatment is either free or highly subsidized for the poor and needy. Endocrinology is one of the focus area of the new All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and many other institutions upgraded under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY).

A population level initiative of prevention, control and screening for common NCDs (diabetes, hypertension and cancer viz. oral, breast and cervical cancer) has been rolled out in 2017-18 under NHM, as a part of comprehensive primary healthcare. Under the initiative, frontline health workers such as Accredited Social Health Activists and Auxiliary Nurse Midwives, inter alia, are leveraged to carry out screening and generate awareness about the risk factors of NCDs among the masses. The initiative is under implementation in more than 150 districts across the country.

The Minister of State (Health and Family Welfare), Smt Anupriya Patel stated this in a written reply in the Lok Sabha here today.-PIB