Big B to receive mobile diabetes clinic as birthday gift

London: Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan is set to receive a mobile diabetes testing unit for Mumbai as his 70th birthday present from the charity Silver Star founded by Britain`s most senior Asian MP Keith Vaz.

Bachchan, who turns 70 tomorrow, will be on hand to receive the gift from the British Deputy High Commissioner at the Seven Hills Hospital Mumbai. The gift will mean the city of Mumbai will for the first time have a Mobile Diabetes Unit alongside those in London and Leicester in the UK and Goa in India. The mobile clinic will be named `Amitabh` in honour of Bachchan, who is the charity`s international patron and has been instrumental in raising diabetes awareness in India. The ceremony will be held at the Seven Hills Hospital in Mumbai, who will fund and manage the operations of the unit which will offer free diabetes testing to the city`s most disadvantaged. Among those attending are delegations from all over the world, including the UK, led by MP Keith Vaz. The hospital will be represented by Dr Jitendra Das Maganti, the chairman, and Dr Bhujang Pai, a world class radiologist. Peter Beckingham, British Deputy High Commissioner in India said, "I was thrilled to hear of Silver Star`s plans to give a mobile diabetes unit to a hospital here to mark their close links to India. "Like many countries it still suffers from a lack of awareness of the causes of and treatment for Type 2 diabetes, and Silver Star`s gift, to coincide with the birthday of one of India`s most celebrated actors Amitabh Bachchan, should help in the campaign to counter the effects of this too common condition." Keith Vaz MP, Founder Patron of Silver Star said, "Today we honour Amitabh Bachchan on his 70th birthday for the work he has done for so many worthwhile causes throughout the world. The people of Britain wanted to give him a gift that was unique yet useful. This unit will help combat the spread of diabetes in his beloved city of Mumbai." "Diabetes is s silent killer. There are an estimated 62 million Indians with type-2 diabetes and by 2025 there will be almost 100 million with the condition. With lifestyle changes and awareness we can prevent diabetes in 80 per cent of cases." Over the last five years Silver Star units have tested over 30,000 people in schools, communities, businesses and villages in the UK and India, which have literally saved lives and limbs. IANS