National Ayurveda Day: 69.1 million people suffer with diabetes in India

The Ministry of AYUSH will observe National Ayurveda Day on Friday and the theme this year will be 'Ayurveda for Prevention and Control of Diabetes.The event will be inaugurated by Minister of State PMO, DoNER, DOPT, Dr Jitender Singh. Minister of AYUSH Shri Shripad Yesso Naik will preside over the programme.

The AYUSH Ministry will also launch 'Mission Madhumeha through Ayurveda', which will be a protocol for treating diabetes through Ayurveda.
According to health experts, the incidence of diabetes mellitus is likely to increase 79.4 million in India, a 15% increase from the current 31.7 million. Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases in which there are high blood sugar levels over a prolonged period.

There are 69.1 million people with diabetes in India, the second-highest number in the world after China, which has 109 million people with diabetes.

Also, deaths due to diabetes increased 50% in India between 2005 and 2015 as per a data published by the Global Burden of Disease (GBD).

As per a report by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), about 123 million Indians aged between 20 and 79 will have diabetes by 2040.
In order to raise public awareness about diabetes and encourage people to make healthy lifestyle, the Ministry of AYUSH is observing National Ayurveda Day on October 28 thoughout the country.

The theme of this year’s is ‘Ayurveda for the prevention and control of diabetes’, taking into account the fact that Ayurveda can play a major role in prevention and control of diabetes.

If poorly managed it can result to long-term complications including - cardiovascular disease, nerve damage, kidney damage, eye damage, foot damage, hearing impairment, Alzheimer's disease, etc.

Diabetes treated successfully by controlling blood glucose through better nutrition, regular exercise.

With PTI input