Diabetes detection and prevention among the non-affluent class

Ahmedabad, 9 November 2012

It is a well-known fact that the number of Diabetes patients has increased in Gujarat. But now these Rich man’s disease is also spreading in villagers who are normally more laborious than the city dweller- a fact recently discovered in a survey carried out by the leading non government organization “Sanjivani Health and Relief Committee” (SHRC) SHRC has undertaken the humungous task of carrying out Diabetes tests on 1 lakh rural dwellers with the support of the internationally renowned “Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation”. Extremely disturbing results have come to light in the first quarterly session of this investigative campaign.

Since August 2012, SHRC has carried out these tests on 32,153 individuals in 1,195 camps, held in more than 400 villages of Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar and Kheda Districts and in Ahmedabad City.

Observations from above study are-
• 25% patients did not know that they have Diabetes.
• The proportion of Diabetes in men was 15% more than that in women.
• In most cases, it was seen that Diabetes began only after age of 40.
• In more than 70% of the patients, Diabetes was not under control and a need for immediate treatment was felt to avoid serious consequences on target organs like eye, kidney, foot, heart, brain etc.
• 2% of the patients were “young” i.e. less than 40 years of age.
• The proportion of men and women over 60 years of age having Diabetes was equal.

The survey indicates that in the urban areas Obesity (Being overweight) lack of exercise, mental stresses, uncontrolled outside food (Junk Food) are the causes of Diabetes. Where as in rural population and urban population of the middle class (Lower income group) in spite of sufficient physical activity and appropriate weight, succumb to Diabetes due to malnutrition, addiction to tobacco, mainly starch based food changing lifestyle.

Even in the villages, obesity is increasing in the well to do families. More than 50% patients known to have Diabetes are unable to get treatment owing to poverty. (The treatment for Diabetes is long and expensive). A rural inhabitant suffering from Diabetes is mostly deprived of treatment, so testing of illnesses of Kidney, heart, Brain, Eyes and nerves of the feet seems beyond the reach of average rural patients both financially and infrastructural.

SHRC has undertaken to bring awareness to the need for timely diagnosis, training and the need to get treatment in these poor rural dwellers as well as the middle class urban population. They have received financial support from “Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation”, USA to undertake this humongous task.

The founder President of SHRC, Dr. Pankaj Shah and his team of 43 benevolent physicians with the help of 30 paramedical staff and more than 150 volunteers, undertake the commendable yet difficult task of extensive physical examination, diagnosis, training as well as treatment to these target groups. The shocking results of the trimester mentioned above have also been passed on to the authorities. Dr. Pankaj Shah tells us, “More shocking facts will come to light when the survey of one lakh patients is complete.”

Another notable fact is that SHRC has been carrying out activities to help villagers in the field of medicine and education right at their doorstep with its fleet of 12 Mobile Medical Vans, since 2005 and more than 8.5 lakh villagers of Gujarat have benefited from these services right at their doorstep.