India Minister calls for national diabetes prevention priority

Union Minister Jitendra Singh has called for diabetes prevention to become a national priority in India, noting that the disease is increasingly affecting rural communities. Speaking at the inauguration of the Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India (RSSDI) Diabetes Rural Outreach Digital Portal and the launch of the VISHWAS awareness video library, Singh emphasized the need for a community-led, technology-enabled, and data-driven approach to management.

Singh highlighted that with over 70 percent of India's population under the age of 40, protecting the health of the youth is vital to the nation's long-term development goals. He stressed that healthcare efforts must shift toward preventing new cases and ensuring early detection to avoid complications involving the heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves. The new digital initiatives aim to bring screening, treatment, and health resources to underserved and rural areas where access to regular follow-up has historically been limited.