- RSSDI’s streamlines adoption of 100 villages to diabetes care in rural population.
- The rural population will gain immense benefits such as timely screening, glucometers, etc.
- RSSDI is awaiting approval from the government to aid NCD prevention in accordance with ASHA workers.
Delhi : The leading diabetes research society RSSDI (Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India) is in the process of adopting 100 villages pan India with an aim to provide standard diabetes care, upskill the villagers to follow diabetes management, screen obesity, hypertension among villagers, conduct periodic educational sessions around diabetes and other non-communicable diseases under the supervision of highly-qualified doctors from RSSDI. To crusade this initiative, RSSDI has collaborated with Rotary India and will sign an MoU in the future with them. Currently, RSSDI is in consultation with Rotary India to execute the program. The progressive initiative is led by Dr. Brij Mohan Makkar, President, National RSSDI,D.r Sanjay Agarwal, Hon. Secretary, National RSSDI, Dr.Amit Gupta Executive committee,Dr. Rakesh Sahay Executive committee, Dr.Vasanth Kumar Executive committee
RSSDI’s village adoption program is intended to benefit each and every individual in the villages selected under the program. The program will include community-based screening, completion of a community-based assessment checklist (CBAC), community mobilisation and health promotion, referral for those who are suspected of any of the NCDs to the Primary Health Center (PHC), Follow-Up of those who are diagnosed with any of these NCDs and check adherence to the treatment plan. Post-receiving the government’s approval, there will be assistance from RSSDI to the ASHA workers in NCD prevention. In addition, RSSDI will provide assurance in the form of blood glucose meters, strips, BP Instruments and educational material.
While explaining the need for this program, Dr. Brij Mohan Makkar, National President of RSSDI, explained the criterion for the adoption of villages. He said, “The criteria for the adoption of villages is based on the level of medical facilities available in the area. RSSDI is focussing on adopting villages with poor medical infrastructure with very limited medical facilities. The selection of villages is carried out in multiple steps, first RSSDI members visit the prospective villages and identify their needs in medical care. Post the assessment of the prospective villages, RSSDI members draft a proposal and submit it to the state chapter of RSSDI or the central team of RSSDI for village adoption. To supervise the whole program, a central RSSDI committee along with representatives from state chapters is set up. We are hoping to receive the support of the government and aid to facilitate this crucial program. Also, we would welcome the participation of everyone at the local level to help us in implementing the project successfully.”
There will be visits from the RSSDI members who are esteemed doctors to the adopted villages at a predefined frequency. Under expert supervision, people will be screened for diabetes and other non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, obesity, etc. People diagnosed with diabetes or other diseases will be connected with the local health centers. The rural population will also receive educational sessions where RSSDI will supplement local healthcare professionals with knowledge and skills in diabetes management via online and offline interactions.
Speaking about the RSSDI’s mega initiative of adopting villages to reduce diabetes burden, Dr. Sanjay Agarwal, Hon. Secretary, Governing Council, National RSSDI said, “We are determined to maximise this opportunity to reduce the diabetes burden coming from rural India. It is no hidden fact that diabetes is rapidly increasing in the rural population and with no access to adequate medical care, the disease is taking a toll on many lives every passing day. The goal of our village adoption program is to provide a timely diagnosis to people living in poor conditions in far-off rural areas. This will prevent complications and help in reducing the increasing burden of diabetes on the country. We also aid educational sessions for the rural population to combat diabetes by changing lifestyle patterns and dietary habits.”
In current times, the rural population is facing several issues in the area of medical care and the increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases which is affecting people in their life’s productive years and becoming a leading cause of premature deaths. It is non-communicable diseases that contribute to 60% of all deaths. While the prevalence of obesity has increased from 9.3% to 18.6% in males and from 12.6% to 20.7% in females, it has increased by 10% in the case of hypertension from 2010-2014. Since the level of physical inactivity among Indian adults is around 13%, increasing obesity is becoming one of the major factors behind rising incidences of diabetes. The risk factors for NCDs include poverty, poor diets like intake of foods rich in fat, salt & sugar, consumption of tobacco, excessive use of alcohol and stress. However, all these can be effectively reduced through concrete prevention measures. RSSDI’s village adoption is among one of those concrete measures for preventing non-communicable diseases and reducing the growing diabetes burden.
