President, Diabetic Association of Pakistan, Professor A Samad Shera has urged the government to establish "diabetes screening units" at all district hospitals in the country. Talking to APP here on Thursday the DAP President and Patron of the International Diabetes Conference beginning here on Friday, said this will cost nothing extra to the exchequer.
"On the contrary it will reduce the massive burden on the doctors serving at the out patient departments of our hospitals," he said. To a query, he said a significant number of adult patients visiting the OPDs of different hospitals comprise diabetics, who, however, may not be aware of their actual ailment.
"As per estimates available with us, based on different studies, 10 percent of our population is estimated to be diabetics," said the DAP President. He also mentioned that overall prevalence of abnormal glucose tolerance is registered to be 20.5 percent in women and 15.9 percent in men.
The expert of diabetes said all overweight people, of or above 40, with high cholesterol, hypertension or blood pressure problem, and also those with family history of diabetes must necessarily be made to get examined at the "diabetes screening units" established at the hospitals. "This will help timely diagnosis, early as well as proper management of the disease and also prevent its associated complications that are often devastating," said the DAP President.
Professor Shera said a small room, a table, three chairs, a gluco-meter and gadget to measure blood pressure will be needed for each of these units. "These as evident are not beyond our means and in case it is found to be difficult Diabetes Association of Pakistan is more than willing to donate these," he said. He said it was high time to look for the option as the country is at risk to experience an epidemic in view of our life style and indifference as well as ignorance.
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