Bhagwati Tarak had been living with weakness, frequent urination and fatigue for five months before a Mobile Medical Unit brought screening and continued care to her village
With more than half of people with diabetes in India estimated to be unaware of their condition, the challenge is not only treating the disease but finding people who may never undergo routine screening. For 50-year-old Bhagwati Tarak of Biroda in Khorpa, Chhattisgarh, a Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) reaching her village led to the detection of persistently high blood sugar after she had been living with weakness, frequent urination, tiredness and body pain for nearly five months.
The need for such community-level screening is particularly relevant in Chhattisgarh, where more than 38.6 lakh people have been screened for diabetes and 6.88 lakh people identified with the condition have been receiving treatment, counselling and regular follow-up, according to data from the National NCD Portal. For people like Bhagwati, however, access to screening often depends on healthcare services reaching closer to their communities. She approached the MMU team when it visited her village, where a clinical assessment found her blood sugar to be significantly elevated, prompting repeated testing and medical follow-up.
Her blood sugar was 299 mg/dL on March 6, 2026, followed by 275 mg/dL on March 20 and 229 mg/dL on April 3. On July 6, it rose sharply to 461 mg/dL. Following medical intervention and continued monitoring through the MMU, it fell to 250 mg/dL by August 17. The repeated elevated readings and clinical assessment led to a diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus, a condition in which blood sugar remains too high. She was prescribed Metformin 500 mg and Glimepiride 2 mg to help control blood sugar, along with Aceclofenac and Paracetamol for body pain. She was also advised dietary precautions, regular medication and periodic check-ups through the MMU.
The case is significant because diabetes care does not end with identifying high blood sugar. India’s national NCD programme calls for screening at the community level followed by diagnosis, treatment, referral and follow-up. Bhagwati’s experience mirrors that continuum at the village level, with repeated readings allowing the healthcare team to track a condition that changed considerably over several months.
Dr Huzaifa Khorakiwala, Trustee & CEO, Wockhardt Foundation, said, “For people living in underserved communities, timely access to basic screening, diagnosis and follow-up can make a meaningful difference in managing chronic health conditions. Bhagwati’s case highlights how regular community-level healthcare can help identify persistently high blood sugar levels and connect individuals with the care and guidance they need. Through our Mobile Medical Units, we remain committed to taking essential healthcare services closer to communities and encouraging people to seek timely medical attention rather than ignore recurring symptoms.”
Denis Varghese, Programme Head – Mobile1000, Wockhardt Foundation, said, “Diabetes often requires consistent monitoring and long-term management, making continuity of care particularly important. Bhagwati’s journey demonstrates the value of repeated health checks at the community level, where patients can be monitored over time and receive medical advice based on their changing health needs. Our Mobile Medical Units are designed to bridge gaps in access by bringing screening, consultation, medicines and follow-up closer to people in underserved areas.”
Bhagwati expressed her gratitude for bringing healthcare services to her village and supporting her through regular consultations and treatment. For her, the MMU’s role went beyond the initial blood sugar test. As her readings changed over the following months, the same healthcare team continued to provide consultations, treatment and medical guidance closer to her community.
The MMU team continues to monitor her condition. At a national level, the case underscores why taking chronic disease screening beyond conventional health facilities remains important for India, particularly when a large proportion of people with diabetes may not know they have the condition. For Bhagwati, healthcare reaching her village converted months of unexplained symptoms into a diagnosis and an ongoing treatment and monitoring plan. For the larger health system, such community-level encounters represent an important link between finding undiagnosed patients and keeping them connected to care after diagnosis.
