Telemedicine platform Practo has witnessed a significant rise in the number of diabetes queries this year compared to 2019 owing to Covid-19.

There has been a 1,200 per cent increase in the number of diabetes queries since last year, the platform said.

The surge in queries is primarily due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the risk that it poses for diabetic patients.

“Amid an ongoing pandemic, various studies have revealed that people with diabetic conditions are at a higher risk of severe clinical outcomes of Covid-19,” Practo said in an official release.

80 per cent of the queries have come in between March and October, “indicating growing awareness of diabetes and its complications after the onset of the pandemic,” Practo said.

Metros, non-metros

70 per cent of all queries on the platform came from metro cities. Queries from metro cities have grown five times as compared to last year, while diabetes queries from non-metro cities have grown 20 times.

Some of the most common queries include ‘Impact of COVID-19 on diabetic patients’ and ‘Gestational diabetes among pregnant women.’ Top searches on the platform include diabetes symptoms and causes, diabetes management, treatment for type 1 and type 2 diabetes, storage and usage of Insulin, gestational diabetes, and the impact of Covid-19 on diabetic patients.

“Proactiveness, awareness and empowerment are key factors in diabetes care. Patients, in addition to taking calls on their diet, exercise schedules, insulin doses and other lifestyle changes, also need to be in control over their doctor appointments, routine tests and monitoring,” Alexander Kuruvilla, Chief Healthcare Strategy Officer, Practo, said.

“Digital healthcare has made it easier and more manageable than ever before for patients to be in control. The growth reflects a growth in awareness too, and that’s a key step towards overall health and well-being,” Kuruvilla added.

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