Srinagar, Nov 17 : Kashmir University’s Department of Students Welfare (DSW) on Wednesday organised a series of programmes to spread awareness about the causes and prevention of diabetes.
According to a varsity handout, the programmes, including a panel discussion and a national-level webinar, were organised in collaboration with Department of Clinical Research, SKIMS Srinagar and KU’s Directorate of Lifelong Learning (DLL).
Vice-Chancellor Prof Talat Ahmad, who chaired the inaugural session as chief guest, underlined the significance of collaborative initiatives and called for active involvement of students and academics from social sciences for effective awareness on diabetes at grassroots.
“Diabetes has become a global problem, but we need a positive bent of mind as well as rich expertise to be able to minimise its spread and impact,” he said.
Noted endocrinologist Prof M Ashraf Ganai from SKIMS, who was a guest of honour, described diabetes as a ‘social disease’.
Calling for early screening of people for diabetes detection and evaluation, Prof Ganai said it’s important to focus on increasing people’s access to the diabetes care alongside going for mass awareness in the society.
He said in Asia, every second person affected by diabetes is not aware of it.
“50% people having diabetes are unaware that they are suffering from it. And 80% living with this disease don’t get access to diabetes care,” he said.
Dean Academic Affairs KU Prof Farooq A Masoodi, Registrar KU Dr Nisar Ahmad Mir and Prof Omar Javed, Dean Medical Faculty SKIMS—special guests on the occasion—called for more collaborative linkages between SKIMS and KU to address serious problems like diabetes.
Dean Students Welfare KU Prof Raies A Qadri highlighted aims and objectives of the day-long programme.
On the occasion, the Vice-Chancellor launched the maiden “Diabetes Educator Programme” to be offered by the KU’s DLL.
Director DLL Prof GH Mir outlined the broad objectives of the full-time diploma programme.
A panel discussion titled ‘Access to Diabetes Care: If not now, when?’ was held in which Dr M Ashraf Ganai, Dr M Ashraf Bhat, Dr Imran Hafeez and Dr Ravouf Asmi spoke about different aspects of diabetes. A national-level webinar was part of the programme wherein Dr Prasanna Kumar, Endocrinologist, Center for Diabetes and Endocrine Care, Bengaluru and R V Mohan, Chairman and Chief of Diabetology, Dr Mohan’s Diabetes Specialties Centre Chennai, discussed different types of diabetes and their causes and prevention.
Altaf Hussain, Education Officer DLL presented a vote of thanks while Shahid Ali Khan, KU’s Cultural Officer conducted proceedings of the events, which were supported by RRIUM Srinagar, Lupin and Glenmark.
Dr Sehla Majeed from RRIUM Srinagar presented a paper on diabetes.
