Diabetes: A silent epidemic fuelled by ignorance

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic illnesses in India and yet, it continues to be one of the most misunderstood and neglected. I have seen so many people assume that diabetes is a death sentence. It isn’t. What makes it deadly is our lack of awareness, late diagnosis and poor management.

Today, India carries the world’s highest diabetes burden, with over 101 million adults living with the disease. What is truly alarming is that more than half of them do not even know they have it. And among those who do, nearly 80 per cent fail to keep their blood sugar under control, leaving themselves vulnerable to heart attacks, kidney failure, blindness, nerve damage and even amputations.

The tragedy is that most of us miss the early warning signs which include frequent urination, excessive thirst, fatigue, or wounds that take too long to heal. We dismiss them as minor issues, or worse, try to manage them with home remedies. By the time we seek medical help, irreversible damage has often begun.

But diabetes can be managed. With timely diagnosis, medical treatment, lifestyle changes and regular follow-up, a person with diabetes can live a long and fulfilling life. The real danger lies in neglect; in skipping check-ups, ignoring prescriptions, or believing myths instead of science.

Even more concerning is the rising number of young adults and children developing type 2 diabetes. Our sedentary lifestyles, poor eating habits and hours spent glued to screens are taking a heavy toll.

Do not wait for your symptoms to become unbearable. Get your blood sugar checked regularly, even if you feel perfectly fine. If diabetes runs in your family, take that seriously. It is not the disease that kills. It is our ignorance, delay and denial that do.

It is time we change the story. Diabetes does not have to control our lives. Through awareness, early diagnosis, and consistent care, we can defeat this silent threat.