Health experts, while expressing grave concern over the increasing level of diabetes patients in Pakistan, have said that in next 20 years Pakistan would be among the top countries with the highest number of population suffering from diabetes. Health experts from across the world said this while addressing the Pakistan Diabetes Leadership Forum (PDLF) here on Saturday.
The forum was informed that at present, there are around 6.7 million people with diagnosed diabetes in Pakistan and it is estimated that by the end of 2035 it will touch 12.8 million; resultantly Pakistan would become one of the top countries with diabetes patients.
Health experts stated that to fight the flourishing diabetes, education and awareness among the masses are the key. About 120,000 people are dying in Pakistan every year due to diabetes-related complications and many more are being incapacitated because of the disease.
Minister of State for National Health Services, Regulation and Co-ordination, Saira Afzal Tarar in her address to an inaugural session of the PDLF said the country needed to tackle the diabetes problem on emergency basis, as it posed serious challenges to the country.
Minister Tarar stated that PDLF would be addressing not only one of the most critical public health issues in the world - but especially in Pakistan. "Over the next two days, the forum shall seek to identify meaningful changes that can greatly improve the lives of people with diabetes and help more people avoid diabetes through national and international prevention strategies," she said. She thanked both the national and international participants and the sponsors for joining this important initiative to fight against diabetes.
Minister Tarar emphasised that all of the participants attending the PDLF constituted the various stakeholders who needed to collaborate to form a resolute response to diabetes through both policy and healthcare. "The challenge is both great in size and complexity and will require the focus of policy makers, healthcare professionals, industry and media alike," Tarar said.
The first panel discussion consisted of high-level dignitaries such as Sir Michael Hirst, President of the International Diabetes Federation, Professor Pierre Lefèbvre, Chairman of the World Diabetes Foundation and Lars Rebien Sørensen, CEO and President of Novo Nordisk.
Concluding the first panel round, Sorensen stated that "Diabetes is a major challenge to the healthcare system in Pakistan as well as to people's quality of life. Only around three-to-four percent of people with diabetes reach their treatment targets. We are here today to discuss concrete solutions for how to tackle diabetes in Pakistan going forward, how to better prevent the disease as well as increasing access to care and treatment. The healthcare sector, the government and the industry need to work together to make this happen a success."
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