Press Release
Medical fraternity stresses the need to build capacity in the area of
Diabetes management at the joint Convocation ceremony of the ‘Certificate
Courses in ‘Evidence Based Diabetes Management’ (CCEBDM) and
‘Gestational Diabetes Miletus’ (CCGDM)
Jointly organised by Kins Advanced Diabetes Care Centre, Siliguri and Public Health Foundation
of India (PHFI), New Delhi, a total number of 35 successful candidates join an informed cadre of
public health practitioners with latest wherewithal in the field of diabetes management.
Siliguri 1st March 2014: Kins Advanced Diabetes Care Centre, Siliguri in consonance with Public
Health Foundation of India (PHFI) organized a joint Convocation programme of PHFI’s ‘Certificate
Course in Evidence Based Diabetes Management (CCEBDM)’ and Certificate Course in Gestational
Diabetes Miletus in Siliguri today. Present on the occasion was Chief Guest Sri Gautam Dev,
Minister I/C of North Bengal Development Ministry and Dr. D. Prabhakaran, Executive Director,
Centre of Excellence in Cardio-metabolic Risk Reduction in South Asia (CoE-CARRS), PHFI,
New Delhi, as Guest of Honour along with Dr. Mihir Saikia, Eminent Diabetologist, Dr. A.K. Das
Director & Professor of Medicine, JIPMER Pondicherry, Dr Sandeep Bhalla, Program Director –
CCEBDM & CCGDM, PHFI and Dr Shekhar Chakraborty Eminent Diabetologist Siliguri.
Convocation certificates were given to a total number of 35 successful candidates, who now join an
informed cadre of public health practitioners with latest wherewithal in the field of diabetes
management.
Chronic diseases disproportionately affect the economically disadvantaged, with 80 per cent of all
NCD deaths occurring in low and middle-income countries. India is home to over 61 million diabetic
patients — an increase from 50.8 million last year. By 2030, India’s diabetes burden is expected to
cross the 100 million mark as against 87 million earlier estimated. India’s diabetes burden is second to
China, which has 90 million people with diabetes (2011) that will increase to about 130 million by
2030. A recent report on the current trends of public health in West Bengal by the WB Government
revealed that 62.4% of NCD deaths were caused by heart diseases, diabetes and strokes. A case-study
carried out by the National Urban Diabetes Survey revealed that 11.7% people in Kolkata (which has
a population of >44 lakh) were diabetic and further in another study carried out by IIT Kharagpur
observed that prevalence of diabetes in rural Bengal is in between 3.5% – 5.7%. Three districts of
West Bengal have high prevalence of diabetes – Howrah (13.2%), Kolkata (12%) and Burdwan
(8.7%). Prevalence is comparatively low in Purulia (2.7%), Bankura (3.0%), Dinajpur East (3.6%)
and West (3.5%).
While handing over Convocation certificates to the successful doctors Sri Gautam Dev, Minister I/C
of North Bengal Development Ministry in his address stressed that there is a need to develop more
innovative training and capacity building programmes and courses to address public health
challenges, especially diabetes which is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the entire west
and north Bengal region. He said, “The prevalence of Diabetes is increasing at an extremely rapid
pace in India and West Bengal is no exception. There is an urgent need to build capacity in the area
of Diabetes management as Type 2 Diabetes has become a serious health threat with exploding
population and changing lifestyle, further leading to the prevalence of gestational diabetes in young
mothers, impacting the new-born. Both the CCEBDM and CCEGDM courses developed by PHFI are
a pioneering concept that will surely enhance capacity of general Physicians, Obstetricians and
Gynaecologists with latest knowledge in Diabetes treatment, thus furthering the cause of treating
diabetes to a large number of individuals, families and communities in this region of North Bengal.”
Mr Dev also lauded the role of Kins Advanced Diabetes Care Centre, Siliguri that has propelled and
influenced public health issues in Siliguri especially in the Non Communicable and Cardio Vascular
disease area and hoped that the successful doctors take the responsibility and duty to secure a healthy
future for generations ahead.
In his address Dr. D. Prabhakaran, Executive Director, Centre of Excellence in Cardio-metabolic
Risk Reduction in South Asia (CoE-CARRS), PHFI, expressed concern on the increasing burden of
non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and cardio-vascular disorders. “Diabetes and its complications
represent a rapidly expanding public health concern that is expected to affect 552 million people by
2030 with devastating health and economic consequences. Diabetes is no longer a disease of the rich.
It affects a large number of lower middle class and poor individuals and is linked to heart attacks,
strokes, some cancers and several infections. At PHFI the focus has always been to build public
health institutional capacity in India, through interdisciplinary and health system connected
education and training. Through innovative courses like CCEBDM and CCDGM, the effort is to
scale, translate and transfer emerging evidence from clinical research to clinical practice so that
doctors are equipped to handle cases on a daily basis”.
In his address Dr Shekhar Chakraborty Director Kins Advanced Diabetes Care Centre, Siliguri and
Regional Faculty PHFI said, “The purpose of Kins Advanced Diabetes Care Centre, Siliguri is to
bring research into practice and evidence to clinical practice and we feel proud to co-host this unique
initiative for building capacity of physicians in Siliguri. Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) and Gestational
Diabetes Miletus have become a serious health threat with exploding population and changing
lifestyles, achieving an epidemic and a global public health threat status. We need to have a trained
set of doctors who are equipped with the latest advances in Diabetes Management, and also follow
the latest international and national guidelines, which these courses provide, thus fulfilling this gap
for generations to come.”
Dr. Mihir Saikia, and Dr. A.K. Das Director, both National Experts for CCEBDM & CCGDM
courses, in their addresses too laid emphasis on the fact that India’s diabetes burden is second to
China, and to address this challenge, both the CCEBDM and the CCGDM courses are path breaking
initiatives that have been received exceptionally well and has gathered tremendous accolades not only
from the participants and the academic fraternity but also by the International Diabetes Federation,
proving to be torch bearers in the field of Diabetes Management. They added that the efforts by Kins
Advanced Diabetes Care Centre in this area of North Bengal are commendable which is working to
take Diabetes management and public health to new heights in the entire West Bengal Region and
beyond.
The Certificate Course in Evidence Based Diabetes Management (CCEBDM), presently in its 3rd
Cycle is being conducted in 19 States and One Union Territory in India with 134 centres in 73
cities. This course has recently become the first globally recognized model to train Primary care
physicians in evidence based diabetes management and has been given recognition by the
International Diabetes Federation (IDF), making it the first of its kind in South and South East
Asia. Similarly the Certificate Course in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (CCGDM) was recently
launched on 25th August 2013 Pan-India and is conducted in 55 Regional Centres, across India
covering 16 states, 1 union territory and 39 cities. These two uniquely designed pan-India
executive training courses for primary healthcare physicians, Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
apprise doctors with the latest developments in the field of diabetes and gestational diabetes
management equipping them to deal with diabetes more efficiently in their day to day undertakings.
-----------------------------------------------Media Contact:
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Dr. Sekhar Chakraborty, Siliguri: Mob: +91-9434001422
Mr Rajiv Chhibber, PHFI, New Delhi: Mob: +919810426698