Kolkata, Dec 22 (IANS) UNICEF has worked with the West Bengal Department of Health and Family Welfare to take treatment and care of children suffering from diabetes to the grassroots level.
Also known as type 1 diabetes, this diabetes occurs when a child’s body destroys the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin to keep blood sugar levels stable. As a result, children have to inject insulin several times a day.
According to Dr. Monjur Hussain, head of UNICEF in West Bengal, the joint initiative aims to develop a primary health care model for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases in children by strengthening community and primary health care systems and provisions.
Elaborating on the matter, UNICEF Health Specialist Dr. Vandana Bhatia said that as a first step, UNICEF is providing training to health service providers like medical officers, staff nurses, ANMs, Asha workers, community health officers to diagnose juvenile diabetes and other childhood non-diabetic diseases. -Will provide training about communicable diseases.
“This will also help in identification and referral of more children with non-communicable diseases,” Bhatia said.
It is learned that there are currently five districts of West Bengal namely Howrah, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas and East Burdwan as well as the state-run SSKM Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata for the treatment of non-communicable diabetes. There are disease clinics. Every year around 600 children are being treated at these places.
Hussain said that 10 other district hospitals have received government approval to start clinics and later the facility will be expanded to the entire state.
According to data available from the Young Diabetic Registry of India, five out of one lakh (1,00,000) children in the country become victims of juvenile diabetes.
According to Dr L Swasticharan, Additional DDG and Director (EMR), Union Health Ministry, the changing lifestyle of young adults and children is increasing the number of non-communicable diseases among them across the country.
–IANS
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