A diabetic Pakistan

Experts claim that if immediate steps are not taken the majority 10 million obese children will soon become diabetic

Just a few months ago, Pakistan was ranked third in the prevalence of diabetes after it surpassed the US. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), around 33 million people are living with diabetes in the country, with type 2 being most prevalent. Health experts have also claimed that if immediate steps are not taken then majority of the 10 million obese children in Pakistan will soon become diabetic. This impending crisis has urged senior physicians of the country to form National Study Groups in local settings for better prevention and control of the disease.

The best physicians in the country have thus selected 13 research projects in order to identify the roots of this disease and provide recommendations to the government and policymakers for immediate action. The truth is that there is not only a dearth of localised research at the ground level, as whatever research present is vague at best, but there is also lack of awareness, acknowledgement and action on the part of the officials concerned. While the research is ongoing, there should be a national nutrition, diet and lifestyle awareness campaign in order to promote healthy living. It is common knowledge that a poor diet, inactivity, and obesity are all associated with type 2 diabetes, but citizens are not aware of what is in their food or how many calories they are taking in. Basic nutritional knowledge should be imparted from a young age and added to educational curriculums in order to create a sense of responsibility among children and young adults. Those who suffer from diabetes must be provided with cheap and affordable treatments.

Diabetes medicines should be made accessible to all and primary healthcare facilities should be properly equipped with insulin medication. Moreover, it is essential for the government to monitor the increasing rate of diabetes in order to measure the severity of the situation or to ascertain if mitigation measures are effective in the long-run.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 21^st, 2022.

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