Amritsar, May 18, 2013: The incidence of diabetes in urban and rural Punjab is on the rise and the number of diabetics is increasing year by year. Sedentary lifestyles and eating habits are responsible for at least 50 per cent of the increase in diabetes cases and a large population in rural Punjab, and a significant population in the urban areas are neither aware of the high-risk factors nor the fact that they are diabetic.
Also a recent study to decipher the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus in various age groups of the North West Punjabi population by Department of Biochemistry Government medical college Amritsar, observed that every fourth family has a history of type 2 diabetes mellitus, suggestive of the fact that the age of onset of diabetes mellitus is declining (19-24 years), both in males and females and that females were more prone to the disease as compared to the males.
To raise awareness to educate both physicians and patients in the management of diabetes, under the aegis of Public Health Foundation of India and Dr. Mohan’s Diabetes Education Academy, Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences & Research, Vallah, Amritsar and MSD India, will be organising the “National Diabetes Summit- 2013”. The summit will be inaugurated by Chief Minister, Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal on May 19.
Padma Shri Dr. V. Mohan, President, DMDEA and Chairman and Chief Diabetologist , Dr. Mohan’s Diabetes Specialties Centre, Chennai, will be the Guest of Honour and will deliver the keynote address for his life time achievement award.
Dr. A.K. Das, Senior Professor and Medical Superintendent, JIPMER, Pondicherry, Dr. Anil Bhansali Head of Department, Endocrinology, PGIMER, Chandigarh, Dr S. S. Gill, Vice Chancellor Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot Punjab, Avtar Singh Makkar, President, SGPC, K. G. Ananthakrishnan, Managing Director, MSD India, Dr Sandeep Bhalla, Public Health Expert, PHFI and National Programme Manager, CCEBDM and Dr. Geeta Sharma, Director Principal, Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Amritsar along with more than 300 doctors and general practitioners will be present at the summit.