India has screened close to 20 lakh people for diabetes, hypertension and oral, breast and cervical cancers in the current financial year under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS). One in two adults with diabetes worldwide is undiagnosed and untreated because he/she stays asymptomatic till complications set in. “Of the 129 lakh people screened at district hospitals and community health centres for NCDs last year, 10.68 lakh had undiagnosed diabetes and 14.93 lakh had undiagnosed high blood pressure,” said Dr Damodar Bachani, deputy commissioner, NCD, ministry of health and family welfare. The study recommended south Asians should lower weight and be highly active to prevent diabetes. Treatment ShortfallOnly 31.1% of people with diabetes in urban areas and 30.8% in rural areas have well-controlled diabetes, reported researchers in the journal, Diabetes Technology and Therapeutics.

Source: Hindustan Times November 14, 2016 02:37 UTC