Date: 12th November, 2025
Venue: India International Centre, New
Delhi
Blue Circle Diabetes Foundation, India’s largest
patient-led diabetes organisation and a registered non-profit in collaboration
with Guru Nanak Eye Centre (GNEC) Delhi, organised Care for Vision: Retinal Health
in Diabetes, a multi-stakeholder workshop focused on raising awareness,
encouraging early detection, and improving management of diabetic eye
complications. The event brought together people with lived experience of
diabetes, leading ophthalmologists, physicians, public health experts, and
government representatives under one roof.
Key highlights from the event:
Patient-centred dialogue:
A unique, interactive, bilingual discussion in English
and Hindi with ophthalmologists, vitreoretinal specialists, endocrinologists,
and people living with diabetes explored prevention, timely screening, and
access gaps in diabetic eye care.
Inaugural address by Dr. Shalini
Kelkar (ADG, NCDs, MoHFW):
Dr. Kelkar emphasised that non-communicable diseases
and mental health are development challenges shaped by social, economic, and
environmental determinants. She highlighted India’s whole-of-government and
whole-of-society approach through the National Multisectoral Action Plan
(NMAP), campaigns such as Fit India, and integration of NCD and
mental health services into Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) under Ayushman
Bharat.
She underscored the importance of early detection of
diabetic complications like retinopathy and strengthening telemedicine and
community-based screening through the National NCD Portal and eSanjeevani.
Dr. Kelkar reiterated that people living with NCDs must be at the centre of
every solution and called for a patient-centric approach to achieving a
sustainable, healthy future.
Clinical and community insights:
Panel 1: Protecting Your Vision –
The Role of Early Detection and Management featured experts from AIIMS,
Safdarjung, Shroff Charity Eye Hospital, and Sitaram Bhartia Hospital,
moderated by Dr. Nikhil Pal (Max Healthcare). They discussed risk factors,
early symptoms, and the importance of routine screening.
Panel 2: Hope for Every Eye –
Advances in Diabetic Eye Care and Access featured experts from AIIMS, GNEC
who called for improved diagnostic access (OCT), inclusion of modern therapies
such as intravitreal injections under Ayushman Bharat, stronger public-private
partnerships, and meaningful engagement of people with lived experience.
Government initiatives in Delhi:
Dr. Aparna, NPCB In-charge, shared progress under the National
Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCBVI),
emphasising integration of retinal screening within NCD clinics and
collaboration between eye care and endocrinology teams.
This workshop also highlighted the urgent and often
overlooked burden of retinal complications among people with diabetes in India.
While treatment options are available, they remain out of reach for many due to
high out-of-pocket costs. People with diabetes already face the significant
daily burden of insulin and other essential medications & adding
preventable vision loss further impacts quality of life and livelihood. There
is a pressing need for financial support mechanisms and active involvement from
government health programmes to ensure equitable access to preventive eye
screening and care.
As we mark World Diabetes Day on
14th November, Blue Circle Diabetes Foundation urges everyone to work together
towards preventing avoidable vision loss and ensuring that no one loses sight
to diabetes.
This was part of a national workshop series which began
in Mumbai, followed by Hyderabad, Bengaluru & Delhi. The initiative aligns
with the United Nations High-Level Meeting on NCDs (Non Communicable Diseases)
in 2025, reinforcing the need for community-led, multisectoral efforts to
protect vision and improve diabetes outcomes in India.
For media or partnership enquiries, contact:
nupur.lalvani@bluecircle.foundation or WhatsApp 9833910160
Website: www.bluecircle.foundation