With diabetes reaching epidemic proportions in Karnataka as well as the nation  Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda announced on Monday the state government s commitment to aid and assist organizations working towards the welfare of diabetics and early intervention of the disease
Flagging off a Walkathon organized by the Karnataka Institute of Diabetology on the occasion of  World Diabetes Day  on November 14  Monday  in Bangalore  Mr  Gowda emphasized the need for leading a stress free life   All of us are under tremendous pressure Our life style and work culture has changed  Politicians are no exception to this changing trend  Diabetes has now become a silent killer  We need comprehensive efforts to tackle the situation   the chief minister added
Pointing out that approximately 66 2 million of the world s total 222 million diabetics were from India  Mr  Gowda said the Karnataka government had implemented several programs to address the issue through its agencies and various hospitals
 We have opened the Karnataka Institute of Diabetology  a world class institute  which has the best of the facilities for diabetics  All facilities are being offered under a single roof  We have various plans to further improve the facilities  Over the next two years  Karnataka Institute of Diabetology will emerge as the best such centre in the country  I am very happy that the Karnataka Institute of Diabetology is doing a wonderful service as a government run institute   Mr  Gowda added
 Diabetes Mellitus Diabetes is the common non communicable disease worldwide  Almost 10 per cent to 12 per cent of adults aged above 25 years suffer from diabetes  This is one disease which doesn t discriminate people on the basis of income  caste  creed  urban rural affecting everybody  The United Nations has declared November 14 as the World Diabetes Day to spread awareness and improve diabetes prevention and management   said Dr  K R  Narasimha Shetty  Director  Karnataka Institute of Diabetology and Chairman  RSSDI  Karnataka Chapter
Celebrities and high profile guests were part of the 2 5km walkathon from Cubbon Park  Well known film actors  Leelavathi  her son Vinod Raj  Shivaram  and Chandrashekar  Deputy Mayor S Harish and more than 2 500 people participated in the walkathon  jointly organized by the Karnataka Institute of Diabetology and Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India RSSDI Karnataka Chapter Karnataka Chief Minister DV Sadandanda Gowda flagging off the walkathon organized byKarnataka Institute of Diabetology  RSSDI on the occasion of World Diabetes Day in Bangalore on November 14  Monday  Dr  K R Narasimha Shetty Right  Director  Karnataka Institute of Diabetology  Deputy Mayor S Harish  Kannada film actress Leelavathi  Actors Shivaram  Chandrashekar  Vinod Raj and many other dignitaries were participated along with 2 500 people