Diabetology Institute to come up in Kalaburagi

The State government is in the process of establishing Institutes of Diabetology in Kalaburagi and Mysuru, outside Bengaluru, to strengthen specialised care for diabetes patients, Minister for Medical Education, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Sharan Prakash Patil has said.

He was speaking after inaugurating a pan-India diabetes foot care awareness, counselling and screening campaign called Prayaas at the Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) here on Monday.

Dr. Patil said that the proposed Institute of Diabetology in Kalaburagi will come up on the Gulbarga University campus and work to establish it is under way.

Highlighting the importance of the campaign, he said that mobile medical units equipped with necessary facilities will travel to district and taluk centres to screen patients and create awareness on foot care among diabetics.

“Patients will be guided on proper footwear and preventive care to avoid complications,” he said.

Noting that India has emerged as a diabetes capital, Dr. Patil said that awareness of foot health is crucial, as negligence can lead to severe complications, including loss of limbs.

“With timely care and precautions, up to 80% of such cases can be prevented,” he said and added that medical colleges across the State have been directed to support awareness efforts.

Dr. Patil reiterated that several healthcare projects are under way on the GIMS hospital campus, including a mother and child hospital, a critical care unit and a 200-bed cancer hospital.

A burns unit is ready for inauguration, while a 371-bed Jayadeva Institute facility is already functional.

In addition, units of NIMHANS and Indira Gandhi Children’s Hospital are coming up on the Gulbarga University campus, he said and added that these initiatives are transforming Kalaburagi into a medical hub.

The Minister said that an IVF centre announced in the 2026-27 State Budget will be established in Kalaburagi.

Earlier, Sanjay Sharma of Foot Secure said that the number of diabetes patients globally has surpassed that of cancer patients and stressed the need for preventive foot care.