Blue Taj marks culmination of Diabetes Blue Fortnight

With the illumination of about 100 prominent monuments across the country, including the Taj Mahal, the fortnight of diabetes awareness activities being observed across the country came to an end on Sunday.

The 14-day program was India's largest ever awareness drive on diabetes and had a fitting finale in the blue monument lighting which incidentally was the biggest of all such efforts that have so far been undertaken around the world.

Named Abbott Blue Monument Lighting Challenge successfully materialized when about 100 monuments including Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Qutub Minar, Swaminarayan Akshardham temple, Old Fort, Kangra Fort (Manali), Ellora caves (Aurangabad), Abbott office building (Mumbai), Sidhivinayak Mandir, Victoria memorial (Kolkata) among other monuments, turned deep blue leaving their original colour.

Blue monument lighting is done globally to commemorate world diabetes day and this year in India, HEAL foundation, a Delhi-based NGO, ViaMedia, N-Doc and Project Hope took the responsibility to do it on huge scale. Archeological society of India (ASI) supported the initiative in a massive manner.

Delhi Social Welfare,Women & Child Department & Languages Minister Dr. Kiran Walia said, "Spreading mass awareness on diabetes is of fundamental importance and it requires a massive effort. I congratulate the organizers for taking up this initiative and I hope this becomes a rallying point for all future efforts to raise awareness on diabetes."

"A whole fortnight dedicated for the cause is commendable. Such activities should happen often and we should not wait for world diabetes day for such activities," said Dr. VM Katoch, Director General, ICMR.

Cases of diabetes are increasing in India and it is expected that there will be about 80 million people with diabetes till 2030 here. Till now the number is over 50 million. Therefore creating awareness becomes necessary and keeping it in mind HEAL Foundation and ViaMedia observed Abbott Diabetes Blue Fortnight from November 1 to November 14.

It was launched with series of activities including the advocacy programme 'Women 4 Diabetes Care', Walk for Diabetes Care, Doctors for Diabetes Care and seminar on 'Mainstreaming NCDs as a key health agenda in India at Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple, New Delhi.

Following these awareness activities Abbott Diabetes Blue Fortnight concluded with Blue monument lighting across India. Heal foundation welcomes ASI's support for successful blue monument challenge.

"We commend archeological survey of India for supporting this initiative towards diabetes awareness. Need of the hour is all government and private agencies come together to tackle this deadly disease because situation is alarming. And illuminating about 100 monuments was a real challenge. Response is extremely encouraging for us, " said Swadeep Srivastava, Principal Consultant, HEAL Foundation.

He said, "Now we are looking forward to launch a more focused campaign for Blue lighting for 2012. This will help in making it largest ever campaign on diabetes awareness across the world."

Globally, countries in association with International Diabetes Federation (IDF) organize awareness campaigns, including illuminating monuments like the Empire State Building in blue on November 13, on the eve of the World Diabetes Day which is observed on 14 Nov.

"Such activities are very encouraging for us doctors because here prevention is important and such awareness programs basically teach prevention & management.

Blue monument lighting on all India level completes the job effectively," said Anoop Misra, Director & Head, Dept. of Diabetes & Metabolic Diseases, Fortis Hospital & Chairman, National Centre for Diabetes, Obesity & Cholesterol Control, New Delhi and also the Chairperson for ADBF' 11.

Prominent monuments and landmarks that were lit in blue included:

Delhi

Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple

Old Fort

Red Fort

Qutub Minar

Humayun Tomb

All India Institute of Medical Sciences

Fortis Hospitals across Delhi and NCR

Metro Bhawan

NDMC Building

Civic Center

Max Healthcare

Mumbai

Abbott Office Building

Sidhivinayak Mandir

CST Station

Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai Building (BMC)

KEM Hospital

Sion Hospital

Nair Hospital

Agra

Taj Mahal

Agra Fort,

Fatehpur Sikri

Himachal Pradesh

Kangra Fort

Hidamba Mata temple, Manali

Aurangabad

Bibi ka Makbara

Ellora caves

Pune

Sahniwada Fort

Ahmedabad

13 Gates of Ahmadabad

Patang Hotel

Kolkata

IPHA office

Victoria memorial

Bangalore

Britannia gardens

Chhattisgarh

Lakshman Mandir complex

Bihar complex

Ratanpur fort

Orissa

Konark temple

Lucknow

Residency

Secunderabad

Hyderabad

Golconda fort

Charminar

Bangalore

Vishala temple, Hampi

"100 monuments illuminated in blue symbolized India's solidarity in the fight against diabetes. Abbott Diabetes Blue fortnight and its all activities were focused and that is why they concluded so successfully," said Dr. C S Pandav, National President Indian Public Health Association & HOD, Center for Community Medicine, AIIMS, New Delhi.