Kochi: A four-day-long World Congress of Diabetes organised by Diabetes India concluded recently in Kochi, and the outcome of it was that plans are afoot to introduce India specific treatment guidelines of diabetes in the near future.
Inaugurating the Congress, Sir Michael Hirst, President of the International Diabetes Federation, called for major steps in generating awareness on diabetes and its prevention.
On the first day of the convention, many doctors sat together to reach a consensus on various aspects of treatment of diabetes. Though there are international guidelines for the treatment of diabetes, there is an urgent need for India-specific guidelines, especially in areas of glucose monitoring and use of insulin in the hospital, besides taking into consideration the socio-economic status of a patient and the country.
Dr.Shaukat M Sadikot, President of Diabetes India and President-elect of the International Diabetes Federation, underscored the importance of slowing the ticking of the clock i.e. one death every eight seconds and two newly diagnosed cases of diabetes every eight seconds.
Dr. Banshi Saboo, an endocrine physician from Ahmedabad, was the organising chairman of the convention, which was attended by over 4000 national and foreign physicians and diabetes educators.
Dr. Jothydev Kesavadev, the organising secretary of the World Congress and the moderator of the glucose monitoring consensus guideline, stated that the lack of insurance and reimbursement policies for the majority of subjects in India, has prompted the significance of formulating India specific guidelines for glucose monitoring.
India is now second to China in terms of the total number of diabetes patients. At present there are 70 million diabetes patients in India, and more than half of those patients, are asymptomatic and unaware of the fact that they have the disease.
Dr.Subhash Wangnoo (New Delhi), Dr R.M.Anjana(Chennai), Dr Rajesh Rajput(Rohtak) etc. participated in the discussion along with other doctors.
It is a proven fact that in all times and in all stages of diabetes, self- monitoring of blood glucose by patients at their own houses ensures the maximum benefit in modifying dosages of medications and that of lifestyles, thereby, bringing down the cost of treating diabetes by several folds in the future.
Regular glucose monitoring by patients at their own houses will largely prevent the occurrence of heart attacks, leg ulcers,blindness and kidney failure
Johny Kannampilly of Cochin presented the data on the usefulness of continues glucose monitoring.
Dr Jothydev Kesavadev highlighted the importance of considering the basic education, disease duration and the economic background of the patient to decide on the frequency of use of the glucometer and the
frequency of testing for HbA1c (average of 3 months blood glucose value).
Another important aspect that was highlighted was the use of electronic gadgets and smart phones for the treatment of diabetes.
This workshop was coordinated by Dr Sadashiva Rao from Vijayawada. Dr.Jothydev Kesavadev spoke on the utility of a tele medicine based program for diabetes patients which precludes actual physical visits to the hospital, and at the same time helps in bringing down the cost of treatment of diabetes.
The World Congress was held at Le Meridian Convention Centre. The convention discussed almost all clinically relevant topics of diabetes.
ANI
