NEW YORK, United States – Arogya World, a US-based non-profit, today launches a new service designed to help prevent and raise awareness of diabetes in India. The innovative health initiative uses Nokia Life Tools to deliver text messages about preventing the disease in a country where a million of the 50 million sufferers are likely to die from it this year.

The project, announced this week at the Clinton Global initiative Annual meeting in New York, is one of the first nationwide diabetes mHealth schemes in a developing country.

Global Head of Nokia Life Tools Jawahar Kanjilal said: “Mobile phones are ushering in an information revolution in the daily lives of millions, especially in the emerging markets.  Delivering targeted diabetes prevention messages to a profiled audience using our Nokia Life Tools platform, in a sustained and continuous engagement will, we believe, encourage people to adopt a healthier lifestyle.”

To perfect the project, Nokia and Arogya World have sought help from some very impressive partners, including Emory University, in Atlanta, market research firm Synovate, healthcare company Biocon, Lifescan Inc.,who make diabetes monitors, and health insurers Aetna International.

The messages are crafted by health experts from India, the US and the UK for both diabetics and non-diabetics.

Diabetes is largely preventable and 80 per cent of cases can be avoided. For example by cutting out tobacco, increasing physical activity, and improving diets.

How it Works

The service will be offered free to the first one million users in the sub-continent who have Nokia Life Tools on their phones and subscribe to the Health Channel. No additional download or subscription will be needed.

The text advice will be available in across India in 12 of the local languages between November 2011 until October 2013 or until one million Indian users are reached.

Find out more about the project at www.arogyaworld.org. How else might Life Tools be used to save lives across the world?