Special diabetes care units for Kalaburagi, Mysuru: Minister Sharanaprakash Patil

Kalaburagi: Realising the need for dedicated facilities for diabetic care, the state govt is setting up institutes of diabetology in Kalaburagi and Mysuru, in addition to Bengaluru, said Sharanaprakash Patil, minister for medical education, skill development, entrepreneurship and livelihoods, Wednesday.He said work to establish the Kalaburagi unit on Gulbarga University campus is currently under way. The minister was speaking after inaugurating ‘Pan-India Diabetic Foot Health Awareness, Counselling and Screening' (PRAYAS) campaign at GIMS Hospital campus.Patil said the PRAYAS campaign on diabetic foot health — focusing on awareness, counselling and screening — was launched by Dr Sanjay Sharma and Dr Pawan and was proving useful. Under the initiative, a mobile treatment vehicle visits district and taluka centres to conduct on-the-spot examinations, guide patients on appropriate footwear, and raise awareness about foot health. The vehicle has been equipped with the necessary medical equipment.Stating that India has become the diabetes capital, Patil said programmes such as PRAYAS were critical and should benefit patients across the state. He added that medical colleges have been directed to extend full cooperation to create awareness on diabetic foot care.Patil said many poor people are unaware that they have diabetes, and even those diagnosed often neglect foot health. Such negligence, he said, can result in the loss of a foot or limbs, while timely precautions and treatment can help prevent such outcomes.