Regular screening and health education to help in early diagnosis in diabetes: Experts

In the coming five years, many more technological advances are expected for better management of diabetes

Doctors from Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai, Narayana Health City and Twin Health shared their opinion on diabetes on the occasion of World Diabetes Day.

Dr Mahesh Chavan, Consultant, Endocrinologist, Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai said, “Diabetes is acute in rural areas due to the lack of easy access to diabetes specialists in the field. People with a lack of access to diabetes care and no routine checkups also fall prey to other NCDs like cardiovascular diseases and stroke, which are macro complications of diabetes. Regular screening and health education will help in early diagnosis as well as prevention of diabetes.”

He added that telemedicine has also been a lifesaver in the post-pandemic days concerning remote diagnosis and screening. Even if it doesn’t provide the essential physical examination of the disease and symptoms but specialists can work with local doctors to ensure proper examination and healthcare services especially in rural areas. 

Lastly, according to him, education, technology and telemedicine all help in improving care and self, reducing complications and the overall economic costs of diabetes. When implemented effectively, these will help prevent and control diabetes mellitus and accompanying risks.

Dr Subramanian Kannan, Consultant, Endocrinology, Narayana Health City mentions, “Diabetes is a metabolic disorder where there is a decrease in the production of insulin. The degree and severity of this decline decide the course of diabetes. Both genes and lifestyle factors play a role in this.”

Dr Maluk Mohamed, Co-Founder & Global Vice President, Twin Health, “Technological advancement has had a major effect on the management of diabetes. Artificial intelligence and machine learning in particular have had a transformational impact on the everyday lives of people with diabetes. In the coming five years, many more technological advances are expected for better management of diabetes as there have been in the past, with improvements in continuous glucose monitoring and more available choices of systems that automate insulin delivery. This will require technological expansion beyond endocrinology practices to primary-care settings and broader populations of patients.”