Curbing diabetes is Kerala’s health priority: Minister at Milma function.

Kerala is working towards combating lifestyle diseases with focus on diabetes which is increasingly on the rise in the state, Health and Family Welfare Minister Smt Veena George said today.

Insufficient physical exercise and altered food habits are contributing to rising cases of blood-sugar among the people of Kerala. Curbing it requires a change in public consciousness and conviction, she said while launching the Ksheera Karunya Hastham scheme by Malabar Regional Co-operative Milk Producers’ Union (MRCMPU) under Milma, providing monetary aid to treat dairy farmers’ children suffering from type-1 diabetes.

“This novel project by MRCMPU merits encouragement. The government is extending full support to it,” the Minister said about the project that will benefit the families of all dairy farmers who supply milk to the co-operative societies under MRCMPU.

Noting that MRCMPU’s has one lakh farmers associated with 1,167 cooperatives, Smt George said in a video address at the online function organised by Kerala Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (KCMMF) that the union produces 7.6 lakh litres of milk every day.

Ksheera Karunya Hastham, which envisages to meet the expenses for insulin and doctor’s fees to treat the type-1 diabetic children below 18 years, is the country’s first endeavour of its kind. The launch comes amid increasing instances of type-1 diabetes among teenagers and a general unwillingness to disclose the matter publicly. Girls are predominantly the victims of this disease, according to studies.

Milma MRCMPU Chairperson Sri K S Mani said in his presidential address that the number of beneficiaries under the new scheme may not be large, but the message is big,” Sri Mani noted.

“Only recently Milma had launched a scheme that envisaged monetary help to families bereaved owing to Covid,” he added, briefing details about similar projects under J Chinchu Rani, Minister for Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development, Milk Co-operatives.

A video on Ksheera Karunya Hastham was played at the function that was attended by National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) Regional Head Sri S Rajeev.

Felicitations speeches were made by Smt Mini Ravindradas (Director, Dairy Development Department), Sri P P Narayanan, Sri P Srinivasan (both Directors, KCMMF) and MRCMPU Directors Smt Anitha P P, Sri K Sudharakan, Mr P T Girish Kumar, Mr T P Usman, Mr K Chenthamara, Mr V V Balachandran and Mr S Sanoj, besides Department of Dairy Development Deputy Director Mr K Sasikumar and NDDB Senior Manager Smt Romy Jacob.

KCMMF Managing Director Dr Patil Suyog Subhashrao welcomed the gathering, while MRCMPU Managing Director Dr P Murali proposed thanks.

Ksheera Karunya Hastham envisions a major relief to dairy farmers, who are being increasingly forced to channel their income towards treatment of their children for diabetes. Already MRCMPU runs a scheme that provides monetary aid to the daughters of its members. It facilitates a stipulated amount deposited in their names and the SBI releasing the amount once the benefactor becomes a major.