Panaji: In the run-up to World Diabetes Day (WDD) on the 14th of November, Novo Nordisk Education Foundation unveiled the second-year report of it sIMPACT India: 1000-Day Challenge’ programme.
The programme was launched two years ago to address the issue of sub-optimally controlled diabetes in India. IMPACT India programme took upon the ambition to reduce the national average HbA1c by 1% working between the time period from 14 Nov 2018 to 31 July 2021, culminating with the commemoration of 100 years of insulin discovery. The programme adopted a 3-pronged approach conducting several medical education activities in tune with the Indian reality of diabetes management, societal awareness activities about the diabetes disease burden & importance of good diabetes control and patient education & support initiatives. India Diabetes Care Index (iDCI) was launched on the eve of WDD, 2018 as a real-time tool to track the progress of diabetes control at a national and select city levels. iDCI was developed using the pooled data available from a data aggregator with access to EHR from 90+ diagnostic labs with >1000 centers across 35 Indian cities, in compliance with the EHR regulations of the country.
According to the latest iDCI report, the average HbA1c level in Goa was recorded at 8.46% in September 2020. The average HbA1c level has marginally increased compared to last year’s figures and the prevailing high HbA1c levels is still a matter of deep concern especially in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic which puts people with uncontrolled diabetes at a higher risk of a fatal outcome and serious health complications.
HbA1cis the best recommended indicator of long-term blood sugar control and gives an average blood sugar control over the preceding three months. 900 people with an average age of 57 years were part of the analysis in Goa, out of which 54% were male and 46% were female
Speaking about the report, Dr Ankush Desai, Professor Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Goa Medical College said,“The high level of HbA1c in Goa is worrisome since the risk of fatal outcome and severe health complications from COVID-19 is up to 50% higher among the diabetics. It is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, consume proper diet, exercise regularly, and monitor the diabetes control levels at regular intervals to channel the glucose levels efficiently. Furthermore, uncontrolled diabetes damages the vital organs like heart, kidney, eyes, etc. and can prove to be fatal. The data from iDCI show that the HbA1c as of Jan-June 2018 was 8.22% which has slightly increased to 8.46% as per the July to Sep, 2020 report. With the second wave of COVID-19 appearing in some parts of Europe, it is important for people with diabetes in India to be vigilant of their diabetes control to avoid the severe outcomes in the unfortunate event of contraction of COVID-19.
People with diabetes who develop mild COVID 19 infection should refrain from opting for home isolation unless their HbA1c is <7% and take the responsibility for self-monitoring of capillary blood glucose at home.”
With the existing pandemic situation with COVID-19, people with diabetes should keep an adequate stock of medications and supplies for monitoring blood glucose at home. If symptoms like difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath, fever, dry cough, tiredness, aches and pains, sore throat, headache, loss of taste or smell are experienced, immediate medical attention should be sought.
IDCI is a part of the ‘Impact India: 1000-Day Challenge’ programme by Novo Nordisk Education Foundation and serves as a guiding tool for the status of diabetes care across India. iDCI was introduced in 2018 as part of the programme to monitor the diabetes care status in the country. Based on big data analytics, iDCI has been providing a real-time view of the average HbA1c in India, a key indicator of the state of diabetes control across select cities.
At present, more than 77 million people are living with diabetes in India. Under the IMPACT India programme, digital platforms are being leveraged to partner with practitioners (doctors and paramedics) to evolve and implement an approach to diabetes care appropriate to India. iDCI is a dynamic tool that not only tracks the status of diabetes care but also helps to increase awareness, motivate and sensitize healthcare professionals (HCPs) and society. The last two years of the programme have seen significant contributions from HCPs and people living with diabetes from across the country. There has been an improving trend in the iDCI results every quarter, and this would lead to a reduction in the future burden of diabetes-related complications in India.
