India to hold diabetes census: Azad

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The Centre will hold a diabetes census across the country to assess the enormity and spread of the disease. Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad announced in Mumbai on Friday the plan to hold the census — probably first of its kind — by the end of this year or early next year.

Azad will present the idea of the census at the five-day WHO Health Assembly in Geneva starting from May 17. He left Friday night to attend the meet.

The census would essentially mean mandatory testing of blood sugar levels. "We intend to start mandatory testing for diabetes in the age-group of 25-70 years across the country in the next two years.

The idea it to figure out the actual number of the population that is actually suffering from diabetes, or is likely to suffer," said Azad.

He was in Mumbai to inaugurate a mega health camp organized by congress MP Sanjay Nirupam at Malad.

The Centre will seek the help of all state governments to pull off the mammoth initiative. "We will study all three categories of diabetes and decide on the next course of action accordingly," he said. State governments will help those on the borderline to bring about behavioural changes like changes in food habits and exercising," he said.

Asian countries carry about 60% of the global diabetes burden. The diabetes census will start from cities and will trickle down to villages. Mobile ambulances will go around testing the population. "In certain villages, where ambulances cannot reach, we will take the help of glucometers (device for determining glucose in blood)," said Azad. Glucometers will cost the government an additional Rs 100 crore. The cost per patient will come to Rs 100. This includes the cost of involving a doctor and sending him to villages, Azad said.

Defeating diabetes would mean controlling a host of ailments that come with it.