According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), over 33 million people are living with diabetes in Pakistan. This represents a 70% increase since IDF last published its estimates in 2019. To make matters worse, over a quarter (26.9%) of adults living with diabetes in the country are undiagnosed.
When diabetes is undetected or inadequately treated, people with diabetes are at risk of serious and life-threatening complications, such as heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and lower-limb amputation, resulting in reduced quality of life and higher healthcare costs.
To create awareness about diabetes, this World Diabetes Day, the Pakistan Endocrine Society (PES), Diabetic Association of Pakistan (DAP) and Baqai Institute of Diabetology & Endocrinology (BIDE) collaborated with Ferozsons Laboratories Limited, a leading pharmaceutical company, to launch a nationwide initiative to light up four iconic monuments – Delhi Gate, Faisal Mosque, Frere Hall and Peshawar Museum into beacons of blue light on the 14th of November.
The initiative took place with the collaboration and generous support of the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA), Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), Capital Development Authority (CDA), Islamabad and Directorate of Archeology & Museums, KPK.
President Pakistan Endocrine Society, Dr. Ibrar Ahmed said: “Diabetes leads to life threatening complications; the only way to prevent Diabetes is to maintain a healthy diet and ensure lifestyle modifications.” He added that “PES is engaged in nationwide activities to combat diabetes on the ground level.”
Prof. Abdul Basit, Secretary General DAP & Director BIDE said: “Pakistan is now ranked third in the world in terms of diabetes prevalence. The public has to know how to avoid getting diabetes, those with diabetes need to know what they should do to delay or avoid the distressing health complications and other stakeholders must be sensitized to contribute in the fight against diabetes.”
Speaking on the occasion, CEO of Ferozsons Laboratories Limited, Mr. Osman Khalid Waheed said: “The main purpose of the Stop Diabetes campaign is to educate the general public about the health impact of diabetes and how to prevent it by adopting a healthy lifestyle. This November our teams will be working with the Pakistan Endocrine Society, leading diabetologists and the medical community in nationwide activities to raise mass awareness. This is the only way to curb the rise of this menace. ”
Mr. Waheed thanked WCLA Director General Mr. Kamran Lashari, CDA Chairman Mr. Amer Ali, Administrator KMC Barrister Murtaza Wahab, Incharge Peshawar Museum Mr. Muhammad Asif Raza, President PES Dr. Ibrar Ahmed, Secretary General DAP and Director BIDE Prof. Abdul Basit for their support.
