Sindh Health Department has not planned any special activity to observe World Diabetes Day, due on November 14, on account of the inefficiency of the concerned officials, Business Recorder has learnt.
The whole world has assigns great social importance to World Diabetes Day and observes it with overwhelming ways but unfortunately Sindh government's Health Department has ignored it and nothing has been organised in this connection.
Diabetes is a chronic disease, which occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. This leads to increased concentration of glucose in the blood (hyperglycaemia).
World Diabetes Day raises global awareness of diabetes--its escalating rates around the world and how to prevent the illness in most cases. Started by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and WHO, the Day is observed on November 14 to mark the birthday of Frederick Banting who, along with Charles Best, was instrumental in the discovery of insulin in 1922, a lifesaving treatment for diabetes patients.
The Sindh Health Department, which has been strengthened recently after devolution of Federal Ministry of Health had observed this day last year by organising rallies and seminars.
This year te day has to pass like any other day.
A doctor and expert in diabetes said that more than 346 million people world-wide have diabetes. This number is likely to more than double by 2030 without intervention.
He said that there are many types of this disease and type 1 diabetes (previously known as insulin-dependent or childhood-onset diabetes) is characterised by lack of insulin production.
He said that the type 2 diabetes (formerly called non-insulin-dependent or adult-onset diabetes) is caused by the body's ineffective use of insulin. It often results from excess body weight and physical inactivity. Gestational diabetes is hyperglycaemia that was first recognised during pregnancy, he added.
He said that healthy diet, regular physical activity, maintaining a normal body weight and avoiding tobacco use can prevent or delay the onset of diabetes.
He said that diabetes increases risk of heart diseases and stroke. Fifty percent of people with diabetes die of cardiovascular diseases.
Diabetic retinopathy is an important cause of blindness, and occurs as a result of long-term accumulated damage to the small blood vessels in the retina. After 15 years of diabetes, approximately 2 percent of people become blind, and about 10 percent develop severe visual impairment, he added.
He said that diabetes is among the leading causes of kidney failure, as 10-20 percent of people with diabetes die of kidney failure. Diabetic neuropathy is damage to the nerves as a result of diabetes, and affects up to 50 percent of people with diabetes.