Srinagar: Vice-Chancellor of University of Kashmir Prof Talat Ahmad Wednesday inaugurated a national-level webinar organised in connection with the World Diabetes Week.
The day-long webinar was hosted by the varsity’s Department of Students Welfare (DSW) in collaboration with Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences and Regional Research Institute of Unani Medicines Srinagar.
Prof Talat said diabetes is a global health issue, though it seems more prevalent in Jammu and Kashmir apparently due to different dietary habits and sedentary lifestyles of the people.
Type2 Diabetes (T2D) is considered to be the most common form of diabetes affecting a large section of people, the Vice-Chancellor said, asserting that it was important to understand why people were developing it at such a high rate.
“It is only after the causes are known that we will be in a better position to frame appropriate healthcare strategies to tackle its high prevalence,” he said.
Director SKIMS Prof A G Ahangar, the guest of honour on the occasion, highlighted some reasons behind high prevalence of diabetes among the people. He said raising the levels of awareness about the disease at grassroots is the best way to curb its spread.
“The institutions like SKIMS, University of Kashmir, RRIUM and others need to work in tandem to launch a sustained grassroots-level awareness campaign about diabetes, its causes and symptoms and the possible treatments,” he said.
Noted endocrinologist from SKIMS Prof M Ashraf Ganai delivered the keynote address, and urged regular screening of people to help curb diabetes. He also said people with this disease are understood to develop serious complications from Covid19.
KU Registrar Dr Nisar Ahmad Mir assured the university’s full support to awareness programmes on health issues. “Lack of awareness is a contributing factor to the rise in cases of diabetes. We take it as our institution’s social responsibility to create awareness about this disease to help contain it,” he said, calling for more such collaborative programmes in future about the pressing health issues in the J&K UT.
The webinar, among others, was attended by KU’s Dean of Academic Affairs Prof Akbar Masood, Assistant Director RRIUM Srinagar Dr Seema Akbar, doctors and scholars from the RRIUM and other parts of the country.
Earlier, KU’s Dean Students Welfare Prof Raies A Qadri welcomed the guests and participants and thanked the Vice-Chancellor for encouraging holding of such awareness programmes to create a close link between the University and the society.
Shahid Ali Khan, Cultural Officer KU moderated the proceedings of the webinar and also presented a vote of thanks.

KR Desk