A National Diabetes Prevention and Management Policy was strongly recommended for Pakistan witnessing constant surge in the disease incidence, alarmingly among youth and adolescent.
Speakers including Dow Medical College Principal Professor Salahuddin Afsar, Professor Khalid Mehmood, Professor Zaaman Sheikh and Professor Illahi Bux Soomro addressing a symposium, organised by Dow University of Health Sciences here on Monday to commemorate World Diabetes, called for a multi-sectoral and multi disciplinary approach to prevent and manage the disease.
Professor Salahuddin Afsar mentioning 25 per cent of local population was either already inflicted with the disease or at high risk attributed the situation to sedentary life style, unhealthy dietary habits, obesity and ageing.
Warning that children and adolescent were also frequently witnessed to be suffering from Diabetes Type II, besides Type I Diabetes, registered among children he said it was necessary people in general were educated to prevent the onset of the ailment at first and avoid its implications through a comprehensive programme.
He also urged policy makers as well as community leaders and people in general to resort to adequate allocation of play grounds, parks and sports cum recreation centres in all localities scattered across the country inculcating healthy life style at all levels.
Maintaining that Diabetes was increasing across the globe, senior health care professional extensively referred to studies showing South Asian, mainly Indo - Pakistani getting vulnerable to the disease, with severe complications at much younger age.
He in this context also referred to some other studies establishing the fact that modified life style with emphasis on quality diet, constituting high fiber and low fat and sugar, coupled with regular physical activity that might be 30 minutes brisk walk or swimming etc, five days a week could considerably reduce the diabetes chances or if already inflicted protect against its severe consequences.
Dr Khalid Mehmood in his presentation 'Optimising Diabetic Foot Care - Reducing Amputation' said diabetic foot complications were potentially preventable provided a multi-disciplinary approach was adopted which might reduce amputation risk by more than 45 per cent.
He regretted that foot remained to be the most neglected part of human body and even two thirds of concerned doctors also were registered to ignore the importance of careful examination of diabetic foot.
It was further mentioned that diabetic foot ulcers could be prevented by three to four per cent, while 15 per cent of diabetic patients develop diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) some times during their life. Similarly, 7.2 per cent patient with diabetic neuropathy developed DFUs and 50 per cent were at risk of re-ulceration.
"20 per cent of all diabetes related hospital admissions are for toot problem," he said adding that neuropathy, peripheral vascular disease, foot callus and corns, nephropathy are major risk factors for foot ulceration which if neglected could lead to amputation.
Professor Khalid urged need for a team approach in handling diabetic foot complications adding that doctors, podiatrist, nurses and orthotists were extremely essential for diabetic foot care maintaining that did not in any way undermine importance of patients education as how to take care of their own foot.
Professor Khalid Mehmood highlighted the importance of glycemic control among diabetic patients to avoid aggravation-associated complications, particularly, foot ulcers as high sugar levels effect healing causing aggravation in wounds.
Professor M Zaaman Sheikh discussed 'Insulin - Past, Present and Future'. He mentioned that apart from easy availability of human insulin and analogues, which could be administered through syringes, essential medication was also being made available in oral form and as inhalers. This, he said would efficiently address the needle fear syndrome among many of the patients across the globe.
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