World Diabetes Day: One in four people living with diabetes in Pakistan
Islamabad: One in four people suffer from diabetes and the number is growing rapidly in Pakistan.
In recent years, Pakistan has seen a dramatic increase in rates of diabetes prevalence and according to Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) President Dr Khubaib Shahid “one in four people suffer from diabetes in Pakistan”.
The key risk factor for type-2 diabetes is obesity and it is more commonly found in young people especially living in urban areas.
About200,000 people become disabled every year due to diabetes; PIMA
The non-communal disease kills approximately 90,000 people every year in Pakistan; of which women are in the majority.
Dr KhubaibShahid – President PIMA – said diabetes is a chronic disease and there is a need to take immediate steps to address its risk factors in Pakistan.
In a statement released by PIMA in connection with the “World Diabetes Day”, he said diabetic patients are more likely to have severe complications due to corona.
Diabetic patients are more likely to have severe complications due to corona: PIMA
About 200,000people become disabled every year due to diabetes in Pakistan, said Dr Khubaib Shahid.
PIMA will conduct various activities to spread awareness about the disease on November 14, he added.It is to mention here that PIMA has announced a nationwide diabetic screening of 100,000people on the occasion of “World Diabetes Day”. In this connection, various activities to spread awareness about the disease on November 14 will be organized.
The organization has planned to set up free diabetes screening camps in more than50 places across the country, including National Press Club and Al-Khidmat RaziHospital in Islamabad, where an estimated 100,000 people will be screened.
Diabetes hunts approximately 90,000 lives annually in Pakistan of which majority are women
There are20 free diabetes clinics across the country, providing free medicine and insulin to 3,000 registered patients by monthly.
According to a research study of US National Institute of Health published in 2019, Pakistan ranks 7th among the top 10 countries with the highest number of people living with diabetes.
The diabetes prevalence rate in Pakistan is 12 percent, which is expected to rise up to 30 percent by 2025 and then Pakistan will rank 5th in the world. Bottom of Form
