The camp recorded a total registration from 200 people
Columbia Asia Hospital, Patiala, organized a two-day in-house screening camp to offer a comprehensive check for all lifestyle diseases, especially diabetes, because of the high rates of escalation of the disease. In an effort to encourage people, especially those at high risk for diabetes or those who are living with it, the hospital offered discounts and counseling sessions.
Through the camp, the hospital aimed at encouraging people to adopt a healthy lifestyle and follow it up with regular screening. The camp helped to raise awareness on the potential consequences of ignoring diabetes, heart disease and other non-communicable diseases that are on the rise. Currently, with more than 62 million people living with diabetes, the insulin disorder has gained epidemic proportions in India. However, despite the rampant incidence of diabetes, there remains a lack of awareness about the condition and its potential consequences.
“We are in the midst of a crisis with lifestyle diseases becoming much more of a problem than communicable diseases. Diabetes is a dangerous condition that can make the patient highly susceptible to several other serious health disorders. Besides, people living with diabetes also have the higher risk of developing thyroid issues. Additionally, constant high levels of blood sugar can also affect other vital organs such as the kidneys, eyes, nerves and heart,†said Dr. Inderpreet Kaur.
During the camp, held on 6th & 7th July from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., the hospital offered a discounted registration and package fees for comprehensive screening tests at Rs 999. The package included all the necessary tests such as hemoglobin, blood sugar (fasting/random), fasting lipid profile (cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL), urine routine, creatinine, uric acid, HbA1C, TSH, SGPT, SGOT, alkaline phosphate, albumin and calcium. All these tests were combined with free consultation with an endocrinologist and a dietician.
“We have observed that there are several misconceptions about diabetes, the most common being that eating sweets brings on diabetes. So we first need to educate people about an overall healthy diet, not just lower sugar consumption, which is bad for any disease, not just diabetes. We have organized the camp to encourage people come and take the tests to check their diabetes and blood sugar levels. During the camp, the doctors also guided the participants about the dos and don’ts and prevention of lifestyle-related diseases, and also educated them about the harmful effects of these conditions,†added Dr. Inderpreet Kaur.
Symptoms of high blood sugar levels in a person are: an increased thirst and urination slow healing of cuts and wounds, blurred vision, unexpected weight loss, extreme tiredness, amongst others.
