Zubair Qureshi
As part of its annual public healthcare awareness campaign, Shifa International Hospital (SIH) on Wednesday organized a one-day ‘Diabetes Awareness Seminar’ in which participated a large number of families, community members, doctors and patients.
Free glucose screening was also conducted on the occasion and more than 250 visitors underwent the screening process and also learned about health hazards related with diabetes. Five glucometers were also distributed among the visitors and audience of the seminar through lucky draws.
Chairperson of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Health Senator Khushbakht Shujaat was the chief guest on the occasion. While addressing the purpose of holding this seminar commended the SIH for promoting the role of the family in the management, care, prevention and education of diabetes.
She stressed the need to educate communities to restrain inactive life style, unhealthy eating habits, lack of exercise and physical activity, which are among major controllable factors to prevent diabetes prevalence.
While highlighting the significance of the day, experts called for increasing awareness about diabetes as everyone is suffering from it now a days.
They were of the view that in most of the people—one in every two— this chronic disease got undiagnosed due to lack of awareness about the diabetes.
Consultant Endocrinologist at the Shifa International Hospital, Dr Osama Ishtiaq said overall diabetes prevalence in the country was 26 percent and over 522 million people were currently living with diabetes globally.
Dr Usama said most of these cases were type 2 diabetes which was largely preventable through regular physical activity, a healthy and balanced diet, and the promotion of healthy living environments.
“Families have a key role to play in addressing the modifiable risk factors for type-2 diabetes for patients and must be provided with educational & awareness resources and a suitable environment to live and adopt a healthier lifestyle. But type 1 diabetes is not preventable but can be managed with insulin injections” he added.
On the occasion, CEO SIH, Dr Manzoor ul Haq and Medical Director, Dr Zeeshan Bin Ishtiaque thanked the audience for their valued participation and emphasized the need for everyone to adopt a healthier lifestyle to overcome risk factors associated with the disease.
