Expressing concern over the rising cases of diabetes in the region, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Sunday called upon everyone, including medical institutions, NGOs and the media to create awareness in the society about the disease in order to prevent and control it before it assumes an alarming proportion.

Dr Jitendra Singh, who is also a nationally renowned Diabetologist, released the Jammu related data of the ‘first of its kind’ world’s largest survey ‘ICMR-India Diabetes ‘INDIAB’ Study to assess the prevalence of Diabetes in India, including in Jammu and Kashmir.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, the fight against Diabetes is a national responsibility, no longer confined only to the medical fraternity and calls for collective effort by all because it threatens to drain away the vital youth energies meant to be devoted to the task of making ‘Viksit Bharat.’

According to the survey, the overall burden of the disease in Jammu region covering its 10 districts is 18.9 percent, with 26.5 per cent in urban areas and 14.5 per cent in rural areas which is higher than the national average.

He said the study offers an opportunity for prevention and control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). He called for adopting a multi-sectoral approach involving the government, non-governmental agencies, the community at large as well as the individual to slow down or stop the rising tide Diabetes and other NCDs.

Describing the ICMR- India Diabetes (INDIAB) nationwide study as landmark, he said its findings will help to estimate the health burden due to diabetes, prediabetes and metabolic NCD.

He added that the study will also help in shifting focus to the prevention and control of Diabetes and other NCDs in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Dr Jitendra Singh further said that the findings of the study are expected to help policymakers, health professionals and stakeholders to develop targeted interventions for prevention and management of diabetes and other NCDs in Jammu and across India as it was a national responsibility.

He also mentioned the need for early detection of the disease as well as the need to break the chain of passing from one generation to another by focussing diabetic pregnant women.

According to the ICMR-INDIAB study, 10.8 per cent of the population in Jammu region is affected by prediabetes, emphasizing the urgent need for action against the growing burden of NCDs in the region.

The Jammu phase surveyed 1,520 participants across urban and rural areas, providing critical insights into the region’s health landscape.

As per the survey, the overall prevalence of hypertension, generalised obesity and abdominal obesity in Jammu is 27.1 per cent, 41.7 per cent and 62.7 per cent respectively. The study was conducted by the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation with the collaboration of ICMR and the Department of Health Research.