The average HbA1C level – the best indicator of a patient’s long-term blood sugar control, stood at 7.96% in September 2020, registering an improvement over the last year for people living with diabetes in Kolkata, according to a second-year report of Impact India: 1000-day Challenge by Novo Nordisk Education Foundation.
The latest findings of the India Diabetes Care Index (IDCI) suggest that glycosylated haemoglobin or HbA1c level has decreased from 8.24% to 7.96% in Kolkata since 2018. The HbA1c is the best-recommended indicator of long-term blood sugar control and gives average blood sugar control for 3 months. The effective management of diabetes can be achieved with a healthy diet, regular physical exercise and consistent monitoring of diabetes level. iDCI is a part of the ‘Impact India: 1000-Day Challenge’ programme by Novo Nordisk Education Foundation and serves as a guiding tool for the status of diabetes care across India. iDCI was introduced in 2018 as part of the programme to monitor the diabetes care status of the country.
At present, more than 77 million people are living with diabetes in India. Under the IMPACT India programme, digital platforms are also being leveraged to partner with practitioners (doctors and paramedics) to evolve and implement an approach to diabetes care appropriate to India. iDCI is a dynamic tool that not only tracks the status of diabetes care but also helps to increase awareness, motivate and sensitize healthcare professionals (HCPs) and the society.