Celebrating 40 years of diabetes research, Professor M. Viswanathan Diabetes Research Centre launched Indo-Pakistan Diabetes prevention programme in the presence of Dr. John E. Anderson, president, American Diabetes Association, Professor Andrew Boulton, president, European Association for study of Diabetes and Professor Samad Shera, Director, Diabetes Association of Pakistan. Mr. David Gainer, Public Affairs Officer, US Consulate General, Chennai, and Prof. D Shantharam, Vice-Chancellor, The Tamil Nadu, Dr. MGR Medical University were the chief guests, for the function organised on February 3.
Commenting on the launch, Managing Director, MV Hospital for Diabetes, Royapuram, Vijay Viswanathan said: “This Indo-Pakistan venture will mark a new beginning in addressing the challenges faced by the two countries with growing population with diabetes. Professor M. Viswanathan Diabetes Research Center, which was instituted 40 years ago by Professor Viswanathan, had been conducting pioneering research in diabetes. DRC is committed to spread the cause of research on diabetes and hence is proud to announce a program to train doctors across India to undertake research in medicine.” He also added, “Profesor M. Viswanathan Diabetes Research Centre had been in the forefront of pioneering research in the fields of Child Obesity and Diabetes, Diabetes and Tuberculosis, studies related to cost of diabetes among the many.”
Indo-Pakistan Diabetes Prevention Programme will facilitate a platform for the interaction of scientists and experts from health systems from the two countries.
The two countries exchanged MoU to create mass awareness programme among general public with respect to healthy lifestyle, risk factors, common symptoms, care and management of diabetes and its complications. The MoU will also provide opportunities for the basic scientists, health economist of the two countries to develop indigenous equipments to be used in monitoring and screening of diabetes and its complications. It will also address the disparity in the access to the health care due to the long term out of pocket expenditure associated with diabetes care. As WHO collaborating centres, the MoU will also focus on developing evidence based model to strengthen the referral system and follow up for diabetes care.
Training programme for doctors
“This is one of the initiatives to encourage and expand the research in medicine and diabetes through improving the research skills of the doctors,” Dr. Vijay Viswanathan said.
