Trivandrum City Police in association with Diabscreen Kerala (P. Kesavadev trust) launched a novel screening, awareness and treatment programme for life style illnesses for police officers and their families. The senior police officers are of the opinion that the health of an average police officer in Kerala is too bad even at their early thirties.

ADGP VR Rajivan IPS launched this major project. Manoj Abraham IPS, City Police Commissioner welcomed the gathering. TP Senkumar IPS, south zone IG was the chairperson. Felicitations were offered by Y. Anilkumar IPS DIG (Administration), Anil Kanth IPS DIG, TVM (Range), Dr Jothydev Kesavadev. The whole programme was organized and co-ordinated by the police doctor, Dr Reshmi. Diabscreen chairperson Dr Jothydev Kesavadev announced that the entire screening is done free of cost on behalf of P. Kesavadev Trust. Based on this pilot project a comprehensive police health care package will soon be introduced.

Sunitha Jothydev spoke on various stress factors specific to police officers. Dr Jothydev spoke on prevention and treatment of life style illnesses. Dr Shabeer A Rasheed enumerated the ways and means of preventing diabetic foot ulcers. Dr Abhilash V Jacob spoke on prevention of diseases of the teeth and gums. Dr Devin Prabhakar led the discussion on eye care. More than 300 individuals were screened. The preliminary reports indicate that more than 75 % of officials have very high cholesterol level. Diabetes and Obesity are also found in the majority. Pradeep Kannamoola and Jayasreelally of the Diabscreen team coordinated the first phase of this massive screening programme.

One Question and Answer.

Qn: I have sugar in the urine, but no sugar in the blood. Am I a diabetic?

Ans: This condition is called renal glycosuria. Sugar appears in urine without diabetes. This requires no treatment. In diabetes usually urine sugar appears when blood sugar is above 180mg%. However, diabetic complications start appearing when average blood sugars are above 140 to 160 mg%. For plenty of reasons, in the present day modern diabetes treatment urine sugar estimation has got no role at all.