Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, who is also a Diabetologist, released the Jammu-related data of the ‘first of its survey ‘ICMR-India Diabetes ‘INDIAB’ study to assess the prevalence of Diabetes in India, including Jammu and Kashmir in Jammu on October 20, 2024.
According to the ICMR-INDIAB study, the overall burden of the disease in the Jammu region covering its 10 districts is 18.9 per cent, with 26.5 per cent in urban areas and 14.5 per cent in rural areas which is higher than the national average. 10.8 per cent of the population in Jammu region is affected by prediabetes, emphasising the urgent need for action against the growing burden of NCDs in the region.
The Jammu phase surveyed 1,520 participants across urban and rural areas, providing critical insights into the region’s health landscape. As per the survey, the overall prevalence of hypertension, generalised obesity and abdominal obesity in Jammu are 27.1 per cent, 41.7 per cent and 62.7 per cent respectively. The study was conducted by the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation with the collaboration of ICMR and the Department of Health Research.
Expressing concern over the rising cases of Diabetes in the region, Dr Jitendra Singh called upon everyone, including medical institutions, NGOs and the media to create awareness in society about the disease to prevent and control it before it assumes an alarming proportion. He said the study offers an opportunity for prevention and control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). He called for adopting a multi-sectoral approach involving the government, non-governmental agencies, the community at large as well as the individual to slow down or stop the rising tide of Diabetes and other NCDs.
Dr Singh claimed that the findings of this study will help estimate the health burden due to Diabetes, prediabetes, and metabolic NCDs. The findings of the study are expected to help policymakers, health professionals and stakeholders to develop targeted interventions for the prevention and management of Diabetes and other NCDs in Jammu and Kashmir, and across India. The need for early detection of the disease and the need to break the chain of passing from one generation to another by focusing on diabetic pregnant women were also discussed.
Dr Jitendra Singh informed, “The government is setting up nearly 1,50,000 Health and Wellness Centres all over the country with a focus on prevention and control of NCDs like Diabetes, hypertension and some forms of cancer.”
The Union Minister said that all-out efforts must be made to prevent the youth from falling prey to this preventable disease. Calling the youth architects of a Vikisit Bharat, he said that proper care of their health and well-being must be taken by all the stakeholders. Dr Singh added that the energy and potential of youngsters cannot be consigned to this silent killer, but must be nurtured and preserved to realise the goal of a developed India by the year 2047.
Dr Singh also called for tapping the vast expanse of unexplored Himalayan resources of Jammu and Kashmir, stating that these resources have a huge potential for making value additions to India’s economy.