Daltonganj: Teenagers in Palamu are increasingly being diagnosed with elevated blood sugar levels, pathologist Dr Shweta Shekhar said on World Diabetes Day.“Boys outnumber girls. We have cases of elevated blood sugar level in boys in the age group of 15 to 17,” she said. Nov 14 is observed every year as World Diabetes Day. The theme for 2026 is “Early Action on Diabetes”.The concern comes amid questions over the availability of funds for diabetes awareness campaigns in Jharkhand. A senior health officer in Ranchi, who requested anonymity, said the District Health Society in each of Jharkhand’s 24 districts has no provision of funds for launching awareness campaigns against diabetes.The officer said officials were unable to explain how diabetes or cancer awareness drives could be conducted “with not even a shoestring budget. ”Palamu civil surgeon-cum-chief medical officer Dr Anil Kumar Sriwastwa said MMCH Daltonganj runs a non-communicable disease, or NCD, clinic.“Our MMCH Daltonganj runs NCD non-communicable disease clinic. It’s for diabetes and blood pressure along with oral hygiene issues,” he said.According to NFHS-5, diabetes prevalence was higher in urban Palamu, at 13 per 100 people, compared with 3 per 100 people in rural areas.
