Ma Su proposes to launch MD in diabetology in letter to Union Min

Health Minister Ma Subramanian in a letter to Union Health Minister Mansukh L Mandaviya proposed to start MD in diabetology, nutrition and metabolism in Tamil Nadu.

Subramanian stated that diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder that contributes immensely to increased health expenditure for the government and individuals. The prevalence of diabetes is about 10.4 per cent. As the governments have been focusing on detection and early treatment of non-communicable diseases like diabetes in health policies, starting an MD will increase the number of professional healthcare providers available in the country.

Subramanian said this will help successful implementation of the State and Central governments’ policies to create diabetes care units in all health care centres.

Stating that India has the largest prevalence of diabetes in the world next only to China, with a prevalence of about 7.7 crores, in addition to about 7.5 crore people with pre-diabetes, he said that if urgent preventive measures were not undertaken, most of these pre-diabetics will rapidly progress, thus increasing the burden on the country.

Tamil Nadu was the first State in the country to start a full-time two-year diploma in diabetology at the Institute of Diabetology at Madras Medical College in 1986—The only such course in the country to have been approved by the Medical Council of India to date. The creation of a new MD in diabetology, nutrition & metabolism will help convert already existing MCI-recognised diploma in diabetology seats into degree seats.

He also proposed the National Medical Commission to include the MD nomenclature in the NMC schedule thus enabling us to upgrade diploma in diabetology seats to MD seats and also start the course in other institutions in Tamil Nadu.