Type 5 Diabetes: The Hidden Danger India Needs to Wake Up To !!

KK SharmaApril 24, 2025 - 10:49 AM

Type 5 Diabetes: The Hidden Danger India Needs to Wake Up To

A New Name for an Old Problem

India has had its share of troubles with diabetes, Type 2 diabetes in particular, affecting over 100 million people. Additionally, but recently on the scenes, many people are being diagnosed with a new kind of diabetes – the fifth one.

This condition has existed, though mainly ignored by the medical world across the globe, for over 75 years. But some time back, in an International Diabetes Federation meeting, a group was announced for the proper definition and study of this type.

Type 5 diabetes raises concern because it is not considered a rarity in the world.

About 25 million are said to be suffering from it across the globe, most of them from India and Africa. This raises serious concerns about how something that is so common could have remained hidden for so long and why not much has been done about it.

Why India Should Be Concerned

The lack of awareness about Type 5 diabetes in India implies that an undetected number of patients are receiving misplaced treatment, which is putting them at risk for serious health consequences that could have been prevented. Further complicating matters is the state of health in India, which is already overburdened with Type 2 diabetes cases, while the additional burden of Type 5 could worsen the situation.

With diverse signs and symptoms, different causes may apply to Type 5 diabetes as opposed to more popularly known types of diabetes; without regulation or guidelines in place, many may be suffering in silence with a possible misdiagnosis.

The Scientists Behind the Breakthrough

Attention for Type 5 diabetes has been brought forward mainly due to sustained efforts by scholars in India. Prof Nihal Thomas, in collaboration with Dr. Riddhi Das Gupta, along with Meredith Hawkins from Albert Einstein Medical College in the USA, has conducted important studies that helped lay the foundation for the recognition of this type as a separate condition.

Prof Felix Jebasingh was also instrumental in the discussions that led to the first meeting of experts and policymakers on Type 5 diabetes, resulting in the Vellore Declaration, signed in January 2025, marking the beginning of a new era in the recognition of Type 5 diabetes.

What Next?

Now that Type 5 diabetes is known, the focus must fall on awareness and education, aiming to create a proper healthcare support environment for the disorder. With this in place, India should quickly move to include Type 5 diabetes on its agenda for public health. Only then can the country save the lives of millions and control an ever-increasing threat before it gets out of hand.