Saarc unity must to combat diabetes
Say experts
Saarc countries must come together in combating diabetes, which has taken the shape of an epidemic, urged speakers at a two-day conference yesterday.
The Badas-Sir Ganga Ram SAARC Diabetes Conference 2011 is being held in the city's Ruposhi Bangla Hotel where over 500 doctors from across the country and 30 diabetes specialists from around the globe are taking part.
Diabetic Association of Bangladesh (DAB) and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital of Delhi, India, with support from Novo Nordisk, a pharmaceutical company of Denmark, are jointly organising the conference.
“We are losing the battle. Time is running out. The latest figures suggest stronger commitment is needed. Social mobilisation is the need of the hour,” said the conference reception committee Chairman Sayef Uddin in his inaugural speech.
He also offered technical support from Bangladesh to any Saarc country since the conference considered Bangladesh to be a role model in providing diabetes treatment.
A total of 20 papers on diabetes care and treatment in Saarc countries by representatives from Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka were presented over four sessions.
The papers provided statistics showing that 71.5 million of the world's 366 million diabetic patients are from Saarc countries.
In a list of countries most affected by diabetes, a Saarc country, India, comes second with 53 million patients, while topping the list is China.
Bangladesh ranked tenth with over seven million diabetic patients and expects to become seventh by 2030 while Pakistan hosts around seven million patients, expected to double by 2025.
However, Sri Lanka did not have a comprehensive picture. A survey conducted in 2004 showed the number of diabetic patients to be 10.3 per cent of the total population, which was 2.5 per cent in 1999.
“The disease is increasing alarmingly in the Saarc region as it is nurtured through unplanned urbanisation,” said the conference organising committee Chairman Prof Dr AK Azad Khan.
The alarming fact is that over half the number of patients is still undiagnosed, though the disease can be controlled in around 70 per cent of the cases, revealed the papers.
As a result, diabetes, a disease to be carried for a lifetime, claims eight lives every eight seconds around the globe by causing various illnesses and damaging organs like the heart, kidneys, eyes and legs, stated the papers.
Another estimate stated that diabetes accounts for 30 per cent of deaths worldwide.
“HIV/AIDS has been occupying the place on the front pages for years while diabetes was placed on the back seat. This is unfair. We need to adjust that,” said Danish Ambassador to Bangladesh Svend Olling.
Speakers at the conference said the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh spends Tk 65 crore each year to provide 25 per cent of diabetic patients in Bangladesh with free treatment.
The speakers also emphasised increasing the health budget and using technologies, including media and mobile phones, and training personnel in disseminating information on the prevention of the disease.
The urban lifestyle on the dependence on fast food and unwillingness to conduct physical labour must also be changed. People in rural areas have nothing less to be worried about as statistics show a rapid increase in the number of diabetic patients there due to migration, added the speakers.
The conference scientific committee Chairman Prof Dr Hajera Mahtab, Saarc Diabetes Association President Dr Surender Kumar and Novo Nordisk BAOS International Operations Vice President Sanjeev Shishoo attended the conference.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments