Novo Nordisk India today announced Kapil Dev as their brand ambassador and an embodiment of the company’s core value of driving change to defeat diabetes. This partnership aims to create awareness about better diabetes management and early insulin adoption.
India stands today prominently as the ‘diabetes capital of the world’. By 2045, nearly 134.3 million people in India are expected to have diabetes. [i] Shockingly, almost half of the existing diabetes patients in India are unaware that they have diabetes. Diabetes is primarily a lifestyle condition that has increased alarmingly across all age groups in India, and the prevalence among the younger population has also increased. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to raise awareness about the disease and its preventive measures.
The legendary cricketer, Kapil Dev, who himself has managed diabetes for many years and won against all odds, is the perfect example of managing the disease with proper therapy and will be an inspiration for people living with diabetes.
Commenting on the partnership, Kapil Dev, former Indian Cricket Team Captain says, “For people with diabetes to lead a healthy and active life is possible, all it needs is awareness and early action, early initiation of the right modern medicines and simple lifestyle modifications. I’m delighted to partner with Novo Nordisk who are the leaders in diabetes care and have not only provided innovative solutions for diabetes care but also focuses on educating people about how to manage it effectively. I strongly believe that this partnership will help us share the right medical knowledge and provide better access to care for those who need it.’’
Vikrant Shrotriya, Corporate Vice President and Managing Director, Novo Nordisk India said, “At Novo Nordisk our efforts have been focused on raising awareness about diabetes and its impact on the lives of people affected by it, their families, society and eventually the country at large. This partnership with the cricket icon and inspiration, Kapil Dev, is a step towards increasing awareness on effectively managing diabetes.’’
With an estimated 77 million people with diabetes in India [ii], awareness is still low in the country. Most diabetes cases are discovered through other health complications and hence remain untreated. Early detection and treatment can go a long way to avoid co-morbidities in people living with diabetes.
Just like cricket has evolved over the last 100 years, incidentally, 2021 also marks 100 years of discovery of the life-saving drug insulin. Decades of research and innovation has helped improve outcomes for people with diabetes on insulin. Therefore, it is important that people with diabetes, start adopting insulin at an early stage. Not only, Insulin therapy is the most effective way to lower blood sugar levels, but also, it manages diabetes more effectively.
