8 million diabetes cases in Pakistan

LAHORE: There has been a drastic increase in the number of diabetics over the past decade and there are nearly eight million diabetics across Pakistan, Akhuwat Health Services Project Director Dr Izharul Haq said on Saturday.
He expressed these views on the occasion of the World Diabetes Day. Haq said that around 10 years ago, Pakistan was ranked eighth on the list of countries having most diabetes patients but now its ranking had worsened to fourth. The project director said that the number of diabetics was expected to reach 140 million by 2030.
Every year, nearly 0.1 million people die of diabetes or its complications, he said adding that 10 percent of Pakistan’s total population was exposed to pre-diabetes.
Haq said that diabetes also affected various body organs such as eyes, kidneys, heart and the nervous system. If diabetes was left uncontrolled, it further caused abnormality and other complications, he added. The Akhuwat Health Services would also organise awareness sessions including free tests for 300 patients.
Separately, Punjab Health Parliamentary Secretary Saeed Elahi said that recommendations for establishing the Undergraduate Medical College and Nursing and Paramedical Institute at the Lahore General Hospital (LGH) would soon be sent to the Punjab CM. Saeed said that the decision would help the LGH become a world class hospital.
He expressed these views after inaugurating a free medical camp and awareness walk on the World Diabetes Day at the LGH. He appreciated the efforts of Professor Tariq Salahuddin for equipping the LGH Post Graduate Medical Institute with modern facilities.
Saeed urged the media to play its role for creating awareness amongst the masses regarding diseases.
On this occasion, Salahuddin informed the audience that doctors from the PGMI were serving humanity not only in Pakistan but other countries as well. He disclosed that a state-of-the-art diabetic centre had been established at the hospital where all diagnostic and treatment facilities had also been provided.
Former King Edward Medical University vice chancellor Dr Mumtaz Hassan also addressed the function and said that the PGMI had a historical background in medical education and rendered tremendous services in this regard. Professor Ghiasun Nabi Tayyab, Dr Imran Hassan Khan and other medial specialists also addressed the seminar and briefed the participants regarding the complications of diabetes.
They said that diabetes patients should adopt the habit of daily walk and exercise in morning and evening for making themselves healthy. The doctors said that people should adopt prevention than cure in order to live a healthy life and cut the budget spending on medical treatment.
Around 1,000 diabetes tests were conducted and free medicines were also provided to patients in the free diabetes medical camp.