IIT-B and Rotary club joined hands for an initiative that saw around 150000 people as a part of the campaign across 10 states in the country.
Rotary club, Rotaract Club and Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B) organised the diabetes testing camp at the Brihanmumbai Muncipal Corporation (BMC) school in Santosh Nagar slum in Goregaon on Sunday. It was among the 200 similar camps organized across 10 states in the country on the same day.
'Diabetes is a lifestyle disease that afflicts the rich' is a common perception. But every one in five individuals who walked in to get their sugar levels tested at a camp organized had faith in the adage.
Diabetes also has a direct effect on one's eye sight, a fact that is not commonly known. Around 32 people were found to have cataract in different stages. "High diabetes can damage retina which can be an irreversible damage," said Dr Rohit Modi who was inspecting the patients.
Part of the Can U Really Escape Diabetes' (CURED) , the idea is to not just test the sugar levels but also focus on awareness and ask people to sign a pledge of leading a healthy lifestyle.
"We got several people to sign a pledge that asks them to eat healthy and exercise more. This kind of an initiative is also first of its kind for Techfest, I believe," said Shivam Gupta, a second year Chemical Engineering Student at IIT-B.
While Santosh Nagar camp alone reached to over 1500 people who came, IIT-B reached around 100000 people as a part of the campaign. The college is also hoping to enter the Guinness and the Limca Book of Records for the maximum number of diabetes check up in a span of 8 hours.
There were medical interns conducting tests, sponsors for free spectacles and the involvement of youth to get the word across. "We printed over 5000 pamphlets and distributed in the area. We have been preparing for this camp for around a month," said Praveen Mukim, secretary, Rotary Club of Mumbai Western Elite.
CURED (Can U Really Escape Diabetes) initiative
· 100 diabetes testing camps conducted in Mumbai alone
· Camps conducted at metro stations, railway stations & religious spaces
· People asked to sign pledge cards for good health
· Attempt to create record for maximum number of diabetes check-up in a span of 8 hours
Diabetes stats
WHO estimates there are over 400 million diabetic people around the world
Diabetes has been rising rapidly in middle and low income countries
It is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke and lower limb amputations
What can help in delaying diabetes onset
Healthy diet
Regular physical activity
Maintaining normal body weight
Avoiding use of tobacco
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