Novo Nordisk Education Foundation launches India’s first national programme designed to support Children with Type 1 Diabetes - Changing Diabetes in Children

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(Free-Press-Release.com) September 8, 2011 -- Press Release


Novo Nordisk Education Foundation launches India’s first national programme designed to support Children with Type 1 Diabetes - Changing Diabetes in Children

September 8th, 2011: According to an estimate, worldwide there are over 4.40 lakh children under the age of 15 years with Type I Diabetes. Childhood diabetes has a high mortality rate in developing countries. The available evidence suggests that many children with type 1 diabetes die even before they have been diagnosed because of the lack of diagnostic facilities, as symptoms of diabetes in children resemble symptoms of common acute medical conditions encountered in many least developed countries (LDCs).

In an attempt to address this critical gap in the management of Diabetes in India, Novo Nordisk Education Foundation has launched a pan India Diabetes programme - Changing Diabetes in Children (CDiC) – with the objective of giving children below the poverty line access to comprehensive diabetes care and management.

This first of its kind programme in India aims to reach over 2500 kids with Type I diabetes from underprivileged families over the next two years. The programme was launched by Former President of India and scientist APJ Abdul Kalam in the presence of children with Type I Diabetes at a function held in Chowdiah Memorial Hall.

Speaking at the event which over a thousand people attended including leading doctors, children with type 1 diabetes and their parents, students and others Professor K.M Prasanna Kumar, MD, DM, Chairman CDiC India said “I am happy to be part of this large-scale project which brings a committed and targeted approach towards managing the disease among poor children with Diabetes. This will be a result oriented programme that will bring greater number of children to systematic screening, diagnostic and treatment process in the coming years”.

“As part of the CDiC programme, 12 leading healthcare centers, across India, have been identified that will ensure access to comprehensive Diabetes care, including free insulin to children with Type I Diabetes. These centers will also provide diagnosis, patient education and treatment including HCP and paramedic training and enhanced access to Diabetes care and management,” said Melvin D’souza, Managing Trustee NNEF


The event was also attended by H.E Freddy Svane, Ambassador of Denmark to India, Dr E.V Ramana Reddy, IAS, Secy to Govt Of Karnataka, Health and Family Welfare Department, Prof. A.K Das, Addnl Director General of Health Services, Govt of India, Professor K.M Prasanna Kumar, MD, DM, Chairman CDiC India, Mads Bo Larsen, Vice President, International Operations, Novo Nordisk A/S and Melvin D’souza, Managing Trustee, Novo Nordisk Education Foundation.




About NNEF

Novo Nordisk Education Foundation is a non-profit organization created in 1998 with the purpose of increasing diabetes awareness. NNEF aims to provide comprehensive education in diabetes and other healthcare issues by bridging the knowledge gap.


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