Leading diabetologist gets award for research paper

AHMEDABAD: Leading diabetologist Dr Mayur Patel was presented oration award at a three-day conference organized by Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India (RSSDI) in Chennai recently for his paper, "Reducing burden of diabetes: Dream or Reality?".
Dr Patel said that the burden of diabetes is growing exponentially in India. In year 2000, there were 30 million diabetics in the country which will rise to 100 million in 2030.
"Indians get diabetes at least 10-15 years earlier than their western counterparts. Diabetes needs immediate attention because apart from the existing 60 million diabetics in the country, there are an equal number of pre-diabetics who will develop diabetes in the longer run, if they don't undertake preventive measures," said Dr Patel.
Dr Patel said that his study had found that 66% people who have diabetes are not aware that they suffer from the disease. Nearly 55% are diagnosed when complications have already set in. "Managing diabetes through population-based interventions is important because studies have found that 60% diabetics were forced to mortgage their properties to fund their treatments arising out of complications".
The doctors said that diabetes is not well controlled in majority patients. "The need is to train more doctors and health workers so that diabetes is treated well in the initial stages and complications are prevented. On the police level, there should be focus also on over-nutrition and not just under-nutrition," said Dr Patel.
In the conference, Dr Jhalak Patel was also awarded first prize for best poster presentation on the role of colour doppler in detecting early kidney disease in diabetics.