Guidance Document on Diabetes Mellitus in Children: Free-of-cost care package for children

Key facts

• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) released the Guidance Document on Diabetes Mellitus in Children at the National Summit on Best Practices in Public Healthcare Service Delivery.
• The document establishes a standardised national framework for the screening, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term management of childhood diabetes.
• The initiative aims to ensure universal screening of all children from birth to 18 years through community and school-based platforms.
• The framework provides a comprehensive, free-of-cost care package at public health facilities, including screening, diagnostic services, lifelong insulin therapy, monitoring devices such as glucometers and test strips, and regular follow-up care.
• The initiative promotes the 4Ts awareness framework—Toilet, Thirsty, Tired, and Thinner—to enable the recognition of early warning signs of Type 1 Diabetes.