Pics: Meryick D'Silva
Daijiworld Media Network-Mangalore (MD)
Mangalore, Sep 6: Well know surgeon and Pro Chancellor of Nitte University M Shantaram Shetty called upon doctors to make people aware of diabetes. He also expressed the need for more Indians to take up research in diabetes.
Inaugurating the two-day decennial conclave of the Karnataka Chapter of Research Society for Study of Diabetes in India here on Saturday September 6 at Decennial hall, Fr Muller Medical College, Mangalore Dr Shetty said, "Doctors should focus primarily on educating people about dangers of diabetes which results from the lifestyle. This education is necessary at the time when people still believe in crude ways of treatment namely for asthma where some practitioners make patients gulp a particular type of fish", he added.
Dr Shetty said people should be made aware of ways with which diabetes can be prevented. “See the way (Minister) B Ramanath Rai (who was also present in the function) has gone for regular exercises that brought his sugar level under control and led him to stop taking tablets”, he added.
Dr Shetty said more number of Indians should take up research in diabetes. Diabetes is increasing in the country. He said only 0.9 per cent Indians figure in the 52,000 research papers on cardiovascular issues and 30,000 papers on diabetes published in 2013. Institutes and students have to wake up and take up research work, at least in diabetes. “Make use of the records (pertaining to diabetes) that are presently wasted”, he said.
Minister for Ecology and Environment B Ramanath Rai said that he brought changes in his lifestyle to bring diabetes under control. Initially he was doubtful as doctors had made him believe that diabetes in him was because both his parents had it. Mr Rai said that he does two hours of exercises every day. He has also stopped eating non-vegetarian food for more than a decade. “I had started with taking three tablets a day. Now I do not take tablets. My sugar level is under control”, he beamed.
Chairman of RSSDI, Karnataka Chapter, K R Narasimha Setty and Father Muller Charitable Institutions director Partrick Rodrigues also spoke on the occasion.
Dr Venkatesh B M, organising chairman KRSSDI Mangalore-2014, Dr J P Alva, Fr Rudolph Ravi D'Sa and others were present on the occasion.