THIRUVANANATHAPURAM: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy inaugurated the Pathanamthitta-Alappuzha diabetes walk by handing over the Blue Circle logo to the leader of the first batch of volunteers here the other day. The function was attended by Anto Antony MP, Babu George, president, Pathanamthitta District Panchayat, P C Vishnunath MLA and E G Raju, state coordinator, National Service Scheme. The Pathanamthitta - Alappuzha diabetes walk is a campaign of ‘kNOw Diabetes’, a project of Medical Trust Hospital and Diabetes Care Centre, Kulanada, in Pathanamthitta district, and World Diabetes Foundation which is being implemented in Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts. kNOw Diabetes, launched in 2008 to create awareness about diabetes and other lifestyle diseases, targets about three lakh students, their parents and teachers of about 900 schools in the two districts. Over the years, awareness classes in more than 600 schools for about 1,60,000 students and their teachers, nearly 500 blood sugar and cholesterol detection camps and training camps for doctors, nurses and other paramedical staff, ASHA workers and selected students have been organised. Seven centres have been opened in Pathanamthitta for organising follow-up projects and 10 more will be opened. A project for giving free treatment, including insulin and glucometers, for all children with Type-1 diabetes has also been started in the district. On November 14, World Diabetes Day, massive global diabetes walks have been organised in Pathanamthitta and Pandalam towns in the last two years. This year’s Global Diabetes Walk will connect Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts. Fourteen student volunteers in batches are leading the walk for 14 days covering 200 km, from November 1 to 14, connecting 14 selected towns in the two districts. The 14 centres are Adoor, Pandalam, Pathanamthitta, Konni, Ranni, Kozhencherry, Mallappally, Thiruvalla, Chengannur, Mavelikkara, Kayamkulam, Haripad, Ambalapuzha and Alappuzha. The walk aims at spreading the message, ‘Understand diabetes and take control’ and is titled ‘Children lead the fight against diabetes and other lifestyle diseases.’ Besides students, teachers and health workers, Ministers, MPs, MLAs, other elected representatives of the panchayat councils, social and cultural activists and academicians will join the walk at various places and address the public meetings. After walking through 13 centres, the team will reach Alappuzha on November 14. A massive ‘Global diabetes walk’ will be organised on that day and Union Minister of Power for State K C Venugopal will inaugurate the function.
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