Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh has called for making diabetes prevention a national priority, emphasizing that rural India is no longer untouched by the diabetes epidemic and requires a community-led, technology-enabled response. The announcement was made during the inauguration of the RSSDI 'Diabetes Rural Outreach Digital Portal' and launch of VISHWAS, the Diabetes Awareness Video Library, organized by the Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India on Independence Day.
The Minister stressed that with over 70% of India's population below the age of 40, protecting the health and productive potential of the young population is essential to the India@2047 vision. He highlighted that early detection, timely intervention, lifestyle modification, and sustained follow-up are essential to reduce diabetes burden and complications.
The RSSDI Rural Outreach Programme has already reached approximately 30 villages across several states, with further expansion planned. The newly launched digital portal provides a standardized platform for beneficiary registration, treatment documentation, longitudinal follow-up, program monitoring, and generation of anonymized real-world data for public health planning and research.
Dr. Singh emphasized the importance of integrating government agencies, academic institutions, technology partners, private organizations, and local healthcare workers to create effective diabetes management models. He specifically noted that digital health solutions must be responsive to India's linguistic diversity, recognizing colloquial languages to make healthcare more accessible at the grassroots level.
The Minister described the changing rural-urban divide in lifestyles and food habits as contributing to diabetes spread, stating that prevention cannot remain solely the responsibility of doctors but must become a shared national priority involving individuals, communities, and institutions.