Dr. Shemankkary Kesavan presented an abstract titled “Bridging the diabetes literacy policy-practice gap in the community: Perspectives of medical officers of health (MOH) in Colombo, SriLanka” at the 58th Annual Academic Sessions of the Ceylon College of Physicians (CCP 2025), held in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Oral presentation emphasizes that diabetes is a significant cause of death in Sri Lanka, yet community and clinical diabetes literacy remain limited. This study explored Medical Officers of Health (MOHs) perspectives in Colombo, identifying gaps between policy design and implementation. Key challenges included low patient awareness, disconnects between policy and practice, and poor dissemination through grassroots programs and media. MOHs highlighted systemic barriers and emphasized the need for context-specific, community-focused strategies to strengthen diabetes literacy at the local level.