72 BMC clinics to get dieticians in trial run across Mumbai

Worried about the rising number of lifestyle diseases like diabetes and depression, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to depute dietitians at its clinics across the city, who would provide correct food intake for people suffering from lifestyle diseases. The dietician's services will be free of cost.

'Beat Diabetes', the civic body's pilot project, involves the appointment of a dietitian from the Indian Dietetic Association (IDA) for six months. The appointed dietitian would be present at the clinic once in a week. A proposal for appointment of one would be tabled at the civic body's standing committee meeting on Friday. As per the proposal, dietitians would be deputed at 72 BMC-run clinics for six months.

The move came about after a survey conducted earlier this year by the BMC, which revealed that diabetes and hyper-tension are major threats ailing the city's residents.

In the last two years, over 3 lakh people visited civic hospitals to seek treatment for diabetes, and another 2.3 lakh people were seeking treatment for hypertension, the survey had found. The only disease that surpasses these numbers is common fever or influenza, with 14.4 lakh patients.

An official from the health department added that cure for lifestyle diseases will depend on people changing their eating and exercising habits. "It has ben observed that people avoid visiting dieticians, mainly because of the huge costs involved. Depending on the patients, this could come to Rs 1,000 to Rs 20,000," the official said, adding that at the BMC-run clinics, this can be done free of cost. The official added that initially 72 clinics would get dieticians' services, while other clinics will later be covered.

Health Horrors

Cases of diabetes and hypertension were more frequent in peripheral hospitals of the city; over 20 per cent patients were suffering from diabetes, while 16 per cent had hypertension.