Diabetes Day Today
Over 70 lakh suffer from diabetes
Bangladesh Diabetes Association (BDA) will hold a daylong awareness programme today as just awareness can prevent 75 per cent cases of diabetes in Bangladesh.
The daylong programme will be held marking the World Diabetes Day to be observed across the globe today. BDA leaders announced the event at a press conference at its office at Birdem hospital in the city yesterday.
"We have to create a mass awareness that diabetes can be prevented unless we have to face a catastrophe in near future," said BDA President Prof AK Azad Khan in his written statement during the press conference.
The statement mentioned that over 70 lakh people are suffering from diabetes in Bangladesh while the worldwide number of the patient now stands at 36 crore, raising from the number of 3 crore in 1985.
Doctors attending the conference expressed deep concern over the fact that at least half of the people suffering from the disease in Bangladesh are ignorant about the disease.
"Unless the disease is prevented through awareness the patients might got their organs like kidney, eyes, heart, and legs seriously damaged," read the statement.
Other recommendations include creating public awareness about the devastating effect of fast food and soft drinks, making it obligatory for all schools and colleges to have a playground and awareness programme using mass media and mobile operators.
"Development of food habit and lifestyle and physical labour can prevent diabetes in about three fourth of the cases," said Azad Khan.
The daylong programme include rally, free diabetes detection facilities in different points of the city and view exchange meetings between diabetic patients and specialist doctors.
The day has been observed since 2007 after United Nations in 2006 decided to observe the day as diabetes day on November 14, the birthday of Insulin inventor Frederick Grant Banting.
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