As many as four hundred thousand people die annually due to complications of diabetes in Pakistan and an equal number of diabetics lose their lower limbs because of complications of the type 2 diabetes in the country.
This was stated at a recent event in which officials and experts announced establishment of a countrywide network of 3,000 diabetes clinics to save precious lives and limbs of people. “Of the 33 million people living with diabetes in Pakistan, over 10 million are not aware of their health status and many of them get diagnosed when the disease causes irreparable damage to their kidneys, eyes, heart and other vital organs. In order to reduce mortality and disability due to diabetes, we have finally launched the project for establishing 3,000 diabetes clinics under the National Diabetes Network (NDN),” diabetologist and General Secretary of Diabetic Association of Pakistan (DAP) Prof Abdul Basit said.
The NDN project has been launched by the Health Promotion Foundation in collaboration with the Baqai Institute of Diabetology and Endocrinology (BIDE). Under the project, primary, secondary and tertiary-care diabetes clinics would be established, which would offer diabetes-related tests, free treatment and medicines at nominal prices.
At the launching ceremony of the project, the speakers called it a major initiative in the country that was counted in top countries in the world with absolute increase in diabetes prevalence. Dr Basit, who is also the BIDE director and Health Promotion Foundation vice chairman, shared reasons behind launching the project and its key features that would mainly benefit the middle and lower income groups of society.“There are more than 33 million patients with diabetes in Pakistan,” he said.
“Among them around four hundred thousand people lose their legs, feet or parts of their lower limbs due to diabetic foot ulcers every year. After spending quarter of a century in this profession, I am really proud to be a part of this project to set up 3,000 diabetes clinics across Pakistan. We have already established 150 diabetic foot clinics with telehealth facilities throughout the country saving people from amputations.”
