Dr Jitendra Singh releases Indian Guidelines for Diabetes Management

Accoording to Dr Singh, a tight management of Diabetes Mellitus, particularly in the young, has become a national priority

The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh, who is also a nationally renowned diabetologist, recently released a compilation of ‘Indian Guidelines for Management of Diabetes Mellitus,’ prepared by Research Society for Study of Diabetes in India (RSSDI).

At a function held in New Delhi and attended by RSSDI National President-Elect Dr Rajeev Chawla, National Secretary Dr BM Makkar and all the National Executive Members, MoS Dr Jitendra Singh, while releasing the book, congratulated the RSSDI office bearers for having come out with a comprehensive updated version of Indian guidelines for management of Diabetes Mellitus. He recalled his nearly three-decade long association with RSSDI, which he served in different capacities as Executive Member as well as Scientific Chairman, and said that the set of Indian guidelines released is a befitting tribute to the legacy which we had inherited from the founding fathers of RSSDI including Prof V Vishwanathan, Prof Sam GP Moses, Prof BB Tripathi, Prof HB Chandalia, Prof MMS Ahuja and Prof V Seshiah.

Dr Jitendra Singh recalled that possibly the first set of Indian guidelines for management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus was prepared way back in 1990s by a team of medicos, of which he himself was also a member and the team was headed by Prof BK Sahay of Usmania Medical College, Hyderabad. These guidelines, he said, were published in a special issue of “Journal of Association of Physicians of India” (JAPI).

In one of the RSSDI Annual meets nearly two decades ago, Dr Jitendra Singh recalled, the theme was ‘Screening for complications at the time of diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus’ and expressed satisfaction that the new guidelines released today have devoted sufficient emphasis and elaboration to this aspect. He also recalled a paper published by him and others under the title “Economic Burden of Diabetes” which too was published in JAPI over a decade ago and said, he was happy to note that the issue of cost effectiveness in the management of diabetes had also been discussed in the guidelines released.

Referring to the government’s sensitive approach towards the healthcare in contemporary India, Dr Jitendra Singh made a special mention of the decision taken under Prime Minister Narendra Modi to have a country-wide setting up of kidney dialysis units in government set-up and also provide health insurance cover under Ayushman Bharat. He said, it was Prime Minister who realised the importance of Yoga in the management of widely prevalent diseases like Type2 Diabetes Mellitus and successfully persuaded the United Nations Organization (UNO) to observe the International Day of Yoga annually.

With more than 70 per cent of India’s population below the age of 40 years, Dr Jitendra Singh said, a tight management of Diabetes Mellitus, particularly in the young, has become a national priority.