RUHS will soon set up centre of excellence for type 1 diabetes

Jaipur: Since managing type 1 diabetes is quite challenging in children, a centre of excellence for type 1 diabetes is coming up at Rajasthan University of Health Sciences (RUHS) hospital for addressing all the issues related to management and treatment of type 1 diabetes along with helping proper growth of children living with it.
As the focus of the health authorities is more on prevention and control of diabetes type II, which mostly develops in adults due to sedentary lifestyle and other related causes, the RUHS hospital has planned a centre of excellence for type 1 diabetes, which is common among children.
“We have collaborated with a Denmark firm which will provide us with technical expertise for the centre of excellence. The pancreas is the organ that produces the hormone insulin, but, in type 1 diabetes, the pancreas does not produce hormone insulin or produce little insulin. In such a situation, the treatment of the patients is more challenging, and it gets even more challenging as it happens generally in children and adolescent population,” Dr Sudhir Bhandari, vice-chancellor, RUHS told TOI.
He said that type 1 diabetes can affect nutrition, bone growth, intellectual development, it involves nervous system, and it may affect personal life and growth of the children. “At the centre of excellence, we will address all the issues so that a child can lead a better life with type-1 diabetes,” said Dr Bhandari.
According to the RUHS officials, diabetes can affect the brain, heart, eyes, kidneys, and nerves. Hence, better management of diabetes is required in children for their proper growth.
“The centre of excellence will create a child- friendly environment for care, spread awareness on type 1 diabetes and it will also help in research on various aspects related to type 1 diabetes,” said Dr Ajit Singh, superintendent, RUHS hospital.
The centre at RUHS will take care of the registered and enrolled children with type-I diabetes up to the age of 25 years.