Prevention of Diabetes among young people is a national priority: Dr Jitendra Singh
The Union Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (I/C), Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, has said that preventing Diabetes among the young people is a national priority and needs to be taken up in a mission mode in order to conserve and streamline India’s enormous youth energy.
Dr. Jitendra Singh, who is also a renowned Diabetologist, was delivering the inaugural address at the launch of “Diabetes Free India” campaign by “Social Empowerment Villagers Association” (SEVA) here today. He said, for a country whose 65% population is below the age of 35, the physical and mental well-being of the youth is no longer the concern only of medical professionals or healthcare personnel, but it has assumed a national priority, because it threatens to drain away the vital youth energy of India, which is imperative for making India a frontline world nation. The Minister said, with more and more Indians getting afflicted with Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus at younger age, it is an immediate challenge to halt this phenomenon which is virtually acquiring epidemic proportions. The nation can hardly afford the luxury of incapacitating the youth’s work capacity or energy by even a minutest fraction, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh observed that when Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus strikes an individual at a young age, the challenge is two-fold. First, he said, the individual is expected to keep his Blood Sugar levels strictly on the lower side, so as to ensure that his eyes, kidneys, heart and other vital organs do not get affected over a long span of life that he will have to live dealing with diabetes. Secondly, this also poses an additional economic liability for a lifelong management of Diabetes for a longer number of years.
Dr Jitendra Singh noted that the Central Government is working at different levels to meet this challenge like, for example, free blood sugar testing campaign at national level, general health insurance policy, Ayushman Bharat, Wellness Clinics, kidney dialysis facility in all district government hospitals, promotion of Yoga, etc. But, at the same time, the non-governmental agencies and the civil society in general also have to take a call, he said.
Dr Jitendra Singh congratulated the efforts of SEVA for volunteering to provide free Diabetes healthcare as well as undertaking an awareness campaign to prevent it.