DIABETOLOGY

History of the Department

Diabetes Mellitus is a modern-day epidemic that has emerged as a major public health problem around the world. Diabetes is a chronic metabolic cum vascular disease and the adverse socio-economic impact of diabetes is looming large in the society. India has about 88 million people living with diabetes and 24 million people with impaired glucose tolerance (pre-diabetic state) as of year 2019. Our state of Tamil Nadu has a high prevalence of diabetes which ranges between 12-16 % of the adult population, both in urban and rural areas. Realising the importance of this disease, our state has taken several measures to cater to the needs of the diabetes patients.

First of its kind in India, a Diabetes Clinic was started in 1946 at Stanley Medical College by Prof. K. C. Paul. The diabetes clinic was further upgraded to continue serving the poor and needy patients of northern Madras, by Prof. M. Viswananthan, one of the founding fathers of Diabetology in India. Later, the diabetes clinic was made into to a Diabetology department attached to the department of Internal Medicine, and it was under the leadership of Prof. U. Mohammed. During his tenure, the department was involved in various social activities like diabetes awareness camps and detection camps. In 2005, the Department of Diabetology was established as an individual department with an exclusive Professor of Diabetology post. Prof. R. Madhavan became the first Professor of Diabetology in Stanley Medical College.

The Department of Diabetology received the grant of Rs.4.85 crore form the constituency development fund to build the exclusive diabetology block at Govt Stanley Hospital campus from the Member of Legislative assembly of harbour constituency Mr. Pazha Karuppaiah, during the tenure of Prof. Isaac Christian Moses as Dean of Stanley Medical College and Prof. A. Shanmugam as head of the department of diabetology. The Institute had yet another moment of glory in 17.02.2016 as it was declared as a “Institute of Diabetology - Centre of Excellence” in diabetes. Prof. D. Shantharam, who was formerly Vice-Chancellor of the Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University, became the first Director of the Institute of Diabetology, Stanley Medical College & Government Stanley Hospital. The new Institute building was inaugurated on the 15th of November 2018, by the Honourable Minister of Fisheries, Mr.D. Jayakumar and the Honourable Minister of Health and Family welfare, Dr. C. Vijayabaskar of the Government of Tamil Nadu in a grand, well-attended ceremony.

The World Diabetes Day 2018 observation was done in the newly inaugurated Institute building in November 2018 in the presence of many senior Diabetologists of Tamil Nadu. An oration was instituted by Prof. A. Shanmugam to perpetuate the memory of late Prof. M. Viswanathan and the first “Stanley Medical College - Prof. M. Viswanathan Gold Medal Oration” was conferred upon Prof. Isaac Christian Moses, eminent Physician and former Dean of Stanley Medical College, on the 18th of December, 2018. In our Institute, we cater to about 900 patients on average, every day. Most of these patients are poor and needy patients from the northern part of Chennai city and the neighbouring districts. Patients are routinely referred from primary health centres, secondary health centres and corporation clinics to our Institute for expert diabetes management. Patients are provided medications free of cost every month. The Government of Tamil Nadu is the first state in our country to issue free insulin to Type 1 Diabetes patients for their entire life. More than 250 Type 1 diabetes patients are registered in our Institute and they are provided with insulin free of cost.

Our Institute of Diabetology gives expert management advice for the glycaemic control of all patients admitted for various ailments in various wards in Government Stanley Hospital, including for those patients admitted under the Chief Minister’s comprehensive health insurance scheme. We conduct special diabetes services like pregnancy diabetes clinic, paediatric and adolescent diabetes clinic and foot care clinic (in association with vascular surgery department).

The Institute of Diabetology is involved in various teaching programmes for undergraduate and postgraduate students of Stanley Medical college. Postgraduate students from other departments do their theses in collaboration with our Institute. At present, more than 10 post-graduate research works are being done in our Institute. In association with the Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University, the Institute takes part in the conduction of the University’s Refresher Course in Diabetes. The Institute is a centre for clinical training for refresher course participants and the faculty of the Institute also take theory classes for the participants in the University campus.

TEACHING FACULTY

Dr. A. Shanmugam MD, D.Diab., FACE

Dr. C. Mythili MD

• Registrar – Dr. S. Charles Bronson MBBS, D.Diab.
• Dr. S. Mugunthan MBBS, D.Diab.,
• Dr. P. Manivannan MD(Pshy)
• Dr. P. Jeyalakshmi MBBS,DPH.
• Dr. B. Vanithamalar MBBS,DPH.,

SERVICES OFFERED ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES

Teaching and training of the following categories of students are done in the Institute of Diabetology

Practical training for house-surgeons posted in diabetology in OP and IP management.

Nursing students are trained in the care for OP and IP patients with diabetes.

They are trained in the laboratory techniques of collection and processing of patient samples in the diabetology lab.

• General Medicine Post-graduate students
• Basics and recent trends in Diabetology
• Out patient management of diabetes patients
• Management of in-patients in Diabetology ward
• Obstetrics & Gynaecology Post-graduate students
• Basics about Diabetology
• Theory classes on Hyperglycaemia in pregnancy
• Management of Gestational diabetes mellitus
• Management of Pre-gestational diabetes mellitus
• House-surgeons
• Nursing students
• DMLT students

PATIENT CARE ACTIVITIES

In-patient care

Diabetology Male Ward and Diabetology Female Ward function in this institute with a bed capacity of 40 beds (20 beds in each ward) dedicated exclusively for the treatment of diabetes patients.

DEPARTMENTAL LIBRARY

More than 125 books related to diabetology and other medical specialities available in the department library.

LABORATORY

The Institute of Diabetology has a state-of-art medical laboratory pertinent to the investigations done for a diabetes patient – including

• Blood sugar testing
• HbA1C
• Urine analysis
• C-peptide testing
• Complete blood count
• Renal Function Tests
• Liver Function Tests
• Lipid Profile
• Thyroid profile
• Serum electrolytes

The following laboratory equipment are available in the exclusive Diabetology lab in the institute

1. 5.Fully automatic analyser
2. 5.Semi-auto analyser
3. 5.Electrolyte analyser
4. 5.Incubator
5. 5.Hot-air oven
6. 5.Cell counter
7. 5.Distillation apparatus
8. 5.Centrifuge
9. 5.Binocular microscope
10. 5.Hormone immune assay
11. 5.HbA1c D-10 analyser
12. 5.Urine analyser
13. 5.Computer with printer
14. 5.Lab reagents
15. 5.Lab accessories

RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS FROM THE INSTITUTE

1. Shanmugam A, Jayapackiam T, Charles Bronson S, Nandhini L, Shantharam D. Effectiveness of Electrotherapy in Chronic Painful Diabetic Neuropathy. Journal of Evolution of Medical and Dental Sciences6(17):1317-1322. DOI:. 10.14260/Jemds/2017/286.
2. Vengojayaprasad S, Shanmugam A, Charles Bronson S, Venkatesh D, Jayapackiam T, Shantharam D. A comparative study of Ankle-Arm Pressure Index in Coronary Arterial Disease patients and normal population - a South Indian tertiary care centre experience. Journal of Evolution of Medical and Dental Sciences6(03):227-231 DOI: 10.14260/jemds/2017/52.
3. Shanmugam A, Vengojayaprasad S, Venkatesh D, Charles Bronson S, Jayapackiam T, Shantharam D. The presence of Thyroid Dysfunction in newly detected Metabolic Syndrome patients. Journal of Evolution of Medical and Dental Sciences6(12):976-982 DOI: 10.14260/Jemds/2017/209
4. Mahadevan V, Shanmugam A, Venkatesh D, Jayapackiam T, Charles Bronson S, Shantharam D. The presence of GAD and IA-2 auto antibodies in young adults diagnosed as Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Journal of Evolution of Medical and Dental Sciences6(3):185-192. DOI: 10.14260/jemds/2017/45.
5. Jeyalalitha R, Shanmugam A, Arun Murugan S, Anuradha C.R, Preethi. A. An observational study to asses the prevalence of cardiovascular disease in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients on treatment with oral antidiabetic drugs, at a tertiary care hospital, in Chennai. Int J Pharma Bio Sci 2018 Apr; 9(2): 233-239.

CONTESTS CONDUCTED

• College Level Grand Quiz in Diabetes for MBBS students on the occasion of World Diabetes Day every year.
• Essay competition about gut microflora and diabetes for the city medical college post graduates
• Drawing Competition with a theme on diabetes – for Type 1 diabetes children on the occasion of World Diabetes Day every year.
• Speech competition about diabetes nursing care for the nursing students of Govt. Stanely Hospital.

1. World diabetes day celebration – every year on Nov 14th.
2. World Health Day 2018 – CME on Beat the Diabetes
3. World Diabetes Day 2018 – Food festival for diabetes diet awareness
4. Prof M. Viswanathan Gold Medal Oration 2018
5. CME on Peri-Operative glycaemic management