The prevalence of diabetes among men and women may be almost equivalent in Pakistan, however, a considerably higher number of these women die of diabetes-induced complications, mainly renal failure, National Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinology (NIDE) at Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) Director, Prof Zaman Shaikh said on Friday.
He said that the recently published report of International Diabetes Foundation identifies diabetic women in Pakistan to be more vulnerable to diabetic complications. “Poverty, lack of education and awareness and low social status could be some of the factors contributing to the death of women,” said the senior diabetologist while talking to journalists.
“Many women in the country are often found to be little conscious about the ailment and it is only when one of the disease-related complications worsens that they are referred to doctors,” he said. “The disease incidence ratio in the country is 51:49 among men and women respectively with 10 percent Pakistani population suffering from diabetics.”
Prof Shaikh, who is also the secretary general of the International Conference on Diabetes, 2011 said that the three-day meeting would begin in Karachi from December 10, under the joint aegis of Diabetic Association of Pakistan (DAP) and the DUHS. DAP’s Secretary General Prof Abdul Samad Shera and DUHS’ Vice Chancellor Prof Masood Hameed Khan would be patron and president of the conference, respectively.
He said the meeting would also focus on gender-related prevalence besides several other relevant topics, with equal attention to prevention, timely diagnosis and proper treatment of diabetes. “The conference is aimed at improving the state of awareness and health-care delivery system in the country,” he added. The diabetologist said the conference will be attended by experts from different countries including Germany, Belgium, Australia, Gambia, Qatar, Egypt and India.
The president-elect of the International Diabetes Federation, Sir Michael Hirst would also attend the conference. He said that 16 of the foreign experts in diabetology have confirmed their participation in the conference while many more are expected to dispatch their confirmation soon. “The scientific programme of the moot will also include special session for junior doctors and undergraduates so as to promote research culture among them,” he added.
As for an extensive diabetes awareness session for general public, he said senior diabetologists and experts in allied subjects would educate the masses about the prevention and management of diabetes. He said that diabetes centres at local council level are required for public education, timely screening and treatment of diabetes.
This, he said, could be cost effective and can be easily developed within hospitals and rural health-care centres scattered across the country. “The DAP has already taken upon itself the responsibility of training GPs in diabetology,” he added.
