Valuable health inputs serve Health Care

I am Sumathi a member of Manonmani Kalanjiam of the yogalakshmi cluster in Madurai Vattara Kalanjiam. I studied up to 10thStandard. I got married at the age of 21. Now I am having two children. My husband is a daily wages employee, but his income is less. In 2007, I joined Manonmani Kalanjiam in our area. I started with a saving of Rs.150 in 2007 and now I am saving Rs. 200 per month.

The loan amount provided by Kalanjiam helped me a lot to enhance my livelihood. Suddenly I suffered from the loss of weight, tiredness and got difficulties in urinating. One year back during that time DHAN organised a medical camp in our locality. I undergo a health screening and was confirmed as diabetic based on the result of a blood test. They confirmed my sugar level as 600mg. I was advised to have regular monitoring under physician direction. Then I started taking tablets for three times a day which cost me around Rs. 1000 every month. The expenses are too high for me when I consider our monthly income.

In monthly Kalanjiam meeting, they use to discuss health issues. In one meeting they introduced small millets as an important food alternative for diabetics by the health staff. And they strongly recommended me to include small millets in my routine food. Also, they advised me to take walking exercises for at least half an hour a day. After adapting small millets in my routine food my sugar level has got consistently reduced and the volume of tablet intake is also reduced. My lab test report shows a drastic change in my sugar level from 600mg to 344mg, then now its 236mg. this is due to the intake of small millets in my regular diet as introduced in Kalanjiam. I feel so thankful to DHAN for introducing small millets thereby keep my diabetic at bay.