A dedicated care centre offering comprehensive services for children and young adults with Type 1 diabetes was inaugurated on Monday at the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College and Hospital (GMKMCH) in Salem.
The facility has been jointly set up by the National Health Mission (NHM) and the Idhayangal Charitable Trust to deliver high-quality, end-to-end care for individuals living with Type 1 diabetes.
Speaking at the inauguration, Tamil Nadu NHM Director A Arun Thamburaj highlighted the state’s growing efforts to expand specialised diabetes care. “We are progressively rolling out Type 1 diabetes centres across Tamil Nadu, starting with Coimbatore and Salem. The next phase includes Thanjavur, Trichy, and Tirunelveli, with an aim to establish centres in all 36 government medical college hospitals across 38 districts,” he said.
Thamburaj also noted that the government is evaluating the implementation of the basal-bolus insulin regimen—the global standard in Type 1 diabetes management—and stressed the need for early diagnosis, timely referrals from primary health centres (PHCs), and robust infrastructure to ensure consistent, high-quality care.
GMKMCH Dean Dr J Devi Meenal shared recent upgrades to the hospital’s infrastructure, including the addition of six dialysis machines worth ₹30 lakh in the past 10 months. She also mentioned the sanctioning of ₹13.5 lakh under the Paadham Kaapom Thittam scheme and the procurement of a hydro extractor. “With the launch of the Type 1 Diabetes Specialised Care Centre, we are taking another significant step toward enhancing specialised healthcare services in Salem,” she said.
GMKMCH is one of the few government medical colleges in the state with a standalone Department of Diabetology. The new centre further strengthens the institution’s leadership in public diabetes care, added Dr G Prakash, Head of the Department of Diabetology.
The inauguration event was attended by several key contributors to the initiative, including Dr Krishnan Swaminathan, founder of Idhayangal Charitable Trust; GMKMCH Medical Superintendent Dr R Rajkumar; P Sivasundaram from the Rotary Club; and M Ramasamy, founder of Raasi Vidhaigal.