HYDERABAD: Dr. Mohan's Diabetes Specialities Centre (DMDSC) will organise Diabetes 2005, a public awareness exhibition about the disease and its complications, from December 15 to 18, V.Mohan, Chairman and Chief Diabetologist, DMDSC, told mediapersons on Wednesday.

He said a recently-concluded Diabetes Awareness Survey in Hyderabad (DASH) by his team, established that though the incidence of diabetes was on the rise, public awareness about it was extremely low.

The survey shows that 21.5 per cent of the adults above the age of 20 had diabetes, which was 30 per cent higher than that figure reported in 2001.

Of the 1007 adults above 20 years who formed part of DASH, drawn from 10 wards out of the city's 100 wards, only 56.5 per cent said they knew about the disease, said Dr. Mohan, noticing that almost half were unaware.

Knowledge of complications

Another finding was that very few people were aware of the complications diabetes caused in the eye, kidney and feet. "Only one third of the population knew the effect of diabetes on the eye," said Dr. Mohan, adding that 60 per cent diabetes patients were not aware that they needed an annual mandatory eye checkup.

Rema Moha, Managing Director and Chief Ophthalmologist, DMDSC, said there would be 25 diabetes education stalls showcasing the causes, types and impact of the disease. Recent advances in treatment, prevention methods and life style modifications with aerobics and yoga demos would be organised at Satya Sai Nigamagamam.

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