10 December 2025 Punjab Khabarnama Bureau : A little over a year after its launch, Tamil Nadu’s Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) Registry has enrolled 5,064 children till now. Simultaneously, the State has established “Type 1 Diabetes Specialised Care Centres” at seven government medical colleges, with three more in the pipeline, and plans to expand to 13 more medical colleges.
According to health officials, the State government, under the National Health Mission (NHM) – Tamil Nadu, established the State-level TIDM registry in recognising the urgent need for structured data and care. Launched in August 2024, the registry serves as a critical tool in improving survival, ensuring continuity of care, and enhancing the quality of life for children and adolescents with T1DM in the State. Children with Type 1 diabetes treated at both government and private hospitals are being registered.
The registry has multiple purposes, officials said. According to G. Jerard Maria Selvam, Additional Director, NHM, Tamil Nadu, it was to raise awareness among healthcare professionals on T1DM to ensure their participation, to assess district-wise disease burden and trends, and to strengthen the healthcare system to ensure uninterrupted access to essential care for all children with T1DM. It also facilitates maintenance of data to support evidence-based policy making and set public health priorities, and for planning insulin supply and comprehensive outpatient services.
NHM in partnership with a NGO has also established “Type 1 Diabetes Specialised Care Centres” at the Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children, Chennai, government medical college hospitals at Salem, Thanjavur, Tiruchi, Tirunelveli, Dharmapuri and Namakkal as a Public Private Partnership. Three more centres at Cuddalore, Theni and Tiruvarur are in the pipeline.
A. Arun Thamburaj, Mission Director, NHM, Tamil Nadu said the specialised care centres have started to function at seven institutions, and 13 more will be established. “We will have these centres in 20 medical college hospitals in the next six months. Our target is to have the centres at all medical colleges over a period of time,” he said.
The best treatment available is being provided in the government facility in collaboration with a trust. “We are facilitating good quality care, proper monitoring and through support groups,” he added.
Through the collaborative partnership, the State government offers services including capacity building to all T1DM patients in the institution and facilitates formation of patient support groups. The patients are monitored for disease control by complication screening and counselling including for family members. A round-the-clock helpline for all patients, laboratory tests for monitoring them, and monitoring of retinal complications is also done.
Officials said that this initiative benefits children from both rural and urban areas. Early results show improved HbA1c levels and reduced hospital visits with improved diabetes-related confidence, they added.
Summary:
Tamil Nadu’s Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Registry has successfully enrolled over 5,000 children, marking a significant step in monitoring and managing the condition. The state is also expanding specialized care centers to provide better treatment and support for young patients.