The Hindu 27.01.2010
Corporation launches survey on diabetes
Staff Reporter
— Photo: K. Pichumani 
TAKING STOCK: Corporation officials collect information as part of the survey from a household in Arumbakkam on Tuesday.
CHENNAI: The Chennai Corporation has launched a survey to detect the prevalence of diabetes in the city. A total of 35,000 households will be covered.
Corporation Health Officer P.Kuganantham said the survey would give a cross-sectional report.
“We will be concentrating on slums and middle-income group households. It will help us estimate the prevalence of diabetes in the community and carry out epidemiological investigation on the causes of the illness.”
Over 700 personnel of the civic body’s Public Health Department would be covering the households by January 29. About 10 lakh persons are estimated to be part of the study. The personnel would be asking a set of questions, including some on food habits, occupation, family history of diabetes and other diseases.
“We will also organise a special diabetes camp on Saturday at 30 places in all the ten zones. Complications in the heart, eye, kidney and foot due to diabetes would be addressed at the camp and if need be the patients would be referred to the Government General Hospital,” Dr.Kuganantham said.
People, who suspect that they have diabetes, would be subjected to fasting and postprandial blood sugar levels tests based on WHO guidelines.
The Corporation planned to provide medicines for those detected with diabetes. Counselling regarding nutrition, exercise and lifestyle modification would be provided at the camp.
