Students doubts on diabetes cleared

CHENNAI: Queries about diabetes flew thick and fast from a sea of college girls, at the Ethiraj College auditorium. That they were addressed at Dr V Mohan, meant that those queries were in good hands. Recently conferred with the Padma Shri by the Government of India, the Chairman of the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation was at his best to respond to the questions after delivering a keynote address on the prevention of diabetes through community empowerment. The questions ranged from ‘How young a person could be diagnosed with diabetes’ to a more pointed ‘Is there a cure for diabetes’ and so on. Dr Mohan parried them well, elucidating on the dreaded disease that he has worked with for over four decades.The occasion was a day long conference on Diabetes and Its Implications, organised by the Department of Biochemistry of the Ethiraj College for Women, in association with the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, on Tuesday. Dr Mohan was accompanied by his daughter Dr RM Anjana as well as colleagues Dr Ranjit Unnikrishnan, Dr Ranjani Harish and others who were part of talks and programmes through the day.During his address, Dr Mohan highlighted the magnitude of diabetes as a disease and what a big problem it was. He also emphasised the urgent need for screening and preventive programmes especially in rural pockets. Some of the work that the MDRF had done in areas in Tamil Nadu made for inspiring stories for the women students. Dr Jothi Kumaravel, Principal, Ethiraj College for Women released the souvenir and handed over the first copy to Dr Mohan.