More than 7 million people in Pakistan are suffering from diabetes which indicates that the number of patients could increase to 11.04 million by the end of the year 2030, said Dr Qamar Masood, General Secretary Pakistan Endocrine Society (PES) on Wednesday
He was addressing a press conference on 'Protect our Future' featuring diabetes prevention and precautions that should be taken by diabetic patients, held here at Karachi Press Club. PES Executive Members Professor Zamman Khan, Dr Zaqir Alvi, Dr Khalid Imam and PVS Former President Dr Khurram Shahid were also present on this occasion.
Dr Qamar Masood further said that diabetes disease depends on family history. But this scenario has now also become common that diabetes hits kids before striking parents. "It is necessary for every person to go for a check-up at least once in a year, so that the person can tackle the disease from the beginning," he added. He pointed out that pre-diabetes was a stage before diabetes, in which the person could not be called a normal or a diabetic patient. At this stage he/she could deal with and control the disease easily. Masood further stated that multiple physical activities such as sports, exercise, walk and others could be very helpful in diabetes.
Talking about causes in the rising number of diabetic patients, Masood said that the real cause behind the number of increase in diabetic patients was the new-era lifestyle, where people prefer vehicle rather than walking. Masood said, "It is necessary for a diabetic patient to manage to maintain his blood pressure below 80-130, AIC should be maintained at 7% and cholesterol should not be more than 100." He further said that every person should also go for a medical test of the eyes, feet, lungs and liver once in a year.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Khurram Shahid said, "Diabetes is the most expensive disease, as every year almost 71 billion rupees are spent on it and it is a misconception among people that patient of diabetes cannot enjoy delicious foods." They can eat every kind of food but within limits but without compromising on food quality, he said and added, "It is also a false conception among the general public that insulin is a harmful medicine." Shahid said that insulin could be given to a patient from the beginning of the disease and there was nothing risky in it. People also believed that the sugar medicine also affected the lungs and liver, which was also another misunderstanding as this was not the truth, he said.
Shahid further said that diabetes was a disease which could not be eliminated from the patient's body but control over it was very easy. He emphasised, "The need of the hour is to eliminate the fear of diabetes from people as diabetic patient can also live like a normal person."
Professor Zamman Sheikh said that debates could be controlled by medicine and exercise. However, patients could also take insulin as there was no harm in it. He added: "It is a disease which can cause blindness, failure of lungs, feet disability, heart and brain disease." Dr Zakir Alvi and Dr Khalid Imam also spoke on the occasion.
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