Bristol-Myers Squibb provides grants for Indian diabetes schemes

Bristol-Myers Squibb has announced the allocation of $1.6 million (1.02 million pounds) in funding to help communities in India tackle type 2 diabetes.

The company, via its charitable Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, is contributing grants to four Asian healthcare institutions to help improve diabetes education, prevention and care in impoverished rural and urban areas.

Recipients include the Mamta Health Institute for Mother and Child, the All-India Institute of Diabetes and Research, Swasthya Diabetes Hospital and Sanjivani Health and Relief Committee, with the grants coming as part of the Together on Diabetes initiative.

Diabetes is a key healthcare priority in India, as the prevalence of the disease has increased fourfold since the 1970s.

John Damonti, president of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, said: "The grants we are making today … will test new ideas about how diabetes control efforts can be best designed and implemented to help adults in a variety of settings."

This comes after the firm announced in July 2012 that it will also be expanding the Together on Diabetes scheme into China over the coming months.