15/11/2025
๐ต The Alarming Reality of Diabetes in India ๐ฎ๐ณ & Why World Diabetes Day Matters More Than Everโ
As we commemorated World Diabetes Day on 14th November, I found myself reflecting on a crisis that is no longer looming on the horizon ~ it is already here, reshaping the health landscape of our nation in real time.
The latest ICMR-INDIAB findings reveal a sobering truth ๐ก:
๐ 11% of Indiaโs population now lives with diabetes. That is 101 million adults ~ a number so vast it positions India as the country with the second-highest burden of diabetes globally ๐.
๐ Even more concerning is the additional 136 million Indians with Prediabetes, many of whom are on the brink of developing full-blown disease.
This is not merely a statistic. It is a signal ~ a warning that touches every household, every community, every workplace.
Diabetes does not operate in isolation. It silently amplifies the risk of heart ๐ซ disease, kidney failure, stroke ๐ง , blindness ๐งโ๐ฆฏ๐ & limb ๐ฆต ๐ฆถamputations.
It strains families emotionally and financially. And at a national level, it threatens to derail productivity, economic stability and the health equity we aspire to achieve.
But numbers ๐ข alone do not define our destiny. Action does.
As healthcare professionals, leaders, and citizens, we stand at a pivotal moment ~ one where knowledge must translate into empowerment, prevention must take precedence over treatment and lifestyle interventions must become a national movement.
Let us recommit ourselves to:
๐ Raising awareness through credible, science-backed communication
๐ข Promoting early screening and timely diagnosis
๐ฃ Advocating for active living, smarter nutrition and stress-free habits
โ๏ธ Supporting communities in making sustainable health choices
๐จโ๐ป Harnessing technology, data and innovation to drive change at scale
Indiaโs diabetes trajectory can be rewritten ~ but only if we act together.
On this and beyond, letโs pledge to create a healthier, more resilient nation where every step we take moves us closer to a diabetes complicationโfree India ๐ฎ๐ณ.
Mohd Wasim Ghori