“World Diabetes Day” is celebrated annually on 14 November every year which aims to promote the importance of taking coordinated and concerted actions to confront diabetes as a critical global health issue. This year theme was “The Family and Diabetes”.
The day was celebrated at GMU as an interprofessional community engagement program with active participation by students of various colleges of the university for the benefit of the immediate community and local laborers. The event was organized with a range of activities and included poster presentations, sporting activities, videos, seminars, quizzes, skits etc. The aim was to spread the awareness about the risk factors, signs and symptoms, screening, complications and prevention of diabetes.
The students set up different stations under supervision of the faculty which included measurement of BMI, Blood pressure, Blood Sugar, physical assessment, dental examinations and distributed pamphlets about diabetes awareness. The attendees were provided with counselling sessions and physical activity planning. More than 300 attendees benefitted from this event.
Student Quotes
It was a great early experience of the collaboration of different medical expertise simulating actual medical facility” remarked Mohammed Ali Al-Hamadani, First-year MBBS student.
“It was a great experience. I learned a lot of things about diabetes, also learned to interpret the blood glucose level as normal, prediabetes and diabetes. It was really beneficial to participate in it and I am looking forward for next opportunity” Shamsa First Year MBBS student
“Working with students belonging to various professional backgrounds enabled us to learn the different spheres of diagnosing and treating the disease and thus was a very informative and educational experience. ” Arfa Iqbal Pasha from MBBS Year I.
Faculty Quotes
“This program enabled our students with various skills such as collaboration with other health professionals, interaction with public and appreciate the importance of celebrating international health awareness days, Dr. Prathima Prakasam from College of Nursing
Prof. Dr. Manda Venkatramana, Vice Provost, GMU congratulated the students for their enthusiasm and involvement in engaging in the interprofessional and outreach activities benefitting the community.