ISLAMABAD: Pakistan joined the world in marking World Diabetes Day on Saturday, November 14, under this year’s theme “Early Action on Diabetes”, as President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for collective efforts to prevent and control a disease that now affects tens of millions of Pakistanis.
Citing estimates from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), the messages noted that about 34.5 million adults in Pakistan were living with diabetes in 2024, and that more than a quarter of them had not been diagnosed. The federal government has allocated Rs6.8 billion to the Prime Minister’s Programme for Prevention and Control of Diabetes Mellitus.
In his message, the President urged citizens to adopt healthier lifestyles, cut down on sugar, exercise regularly and go for timely medical screening. He asked federal and provincial governments, health professionals, educational institutions and the media to run coordinated awareness campaigns, particularly in rural and remote areas.
The Prime Minister described diabetes as a growing public health concern and said early screening and prompt treatment were essential to prevent complications. He said the national programme aims to widen early-detection screening, strengthen primary healthcare and improve access to diagnosis and treatment. The World Health Organization’s representative in Pakistan, Dr Luo Dapeng, said the WHO would keep supporting the government on prevention, early detection and treatment.
Background
World Diabetes Day is observed every year on November 14, the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who co-discovered insulin in 1921. It is led by the IDF and the WHO. IDF figures place Pakistan among the countries with the largest number of adults living with diabetes, and the disease is a leading cause of heart disease, kidney failure, blindness and lower-limb amputation when it is not managed.
The government has made prevention a priority in recent years through the Prime Minister’s diabetes programme, which focuses on screening and on strengthening care at the primary level, so that cases are picked up before serious complications develop.
What This Means for You
If more than a quarter of the 34.5 million adults with diabetes are undiagnosed, that means well over 8.6 million people may have the condition without knowing it. Diabetes often causes no clear symptoms in its early stages, so a simple blood sugar test is the most reliable way to find out. The WHO recommends a healthy diet, at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week, which is about 30 minutes on five days, and regular check-ups. Anyone with a family history of diabetes, excess weight or high blood pressure should ask a doctor about screening.
As outlined in the Prime Minister’s message, the next phase of the national programme is to widen early-detection screening through primary healthcare facilities across the country.
Sources: Radio Pakistan, President’s Secretariat, Prime Minister’s Office, World Health Organization, International Diabetes Federation
Featured image: Photo: Christidy / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
