Diabetes, a chronic condition due to failure of insulin secretion or its action, is rising at an alarming proportion in the country. If well co-ordinated and effective measures to combat the menace were not taken immediately on national level, it might pose serious economic and social threat for the country.
This was the message given by health experts during a seminar on " Controlling and Preventing Diabetes," organised by Pakistan Press Foundation here on Thursday.
Professor Dr Mashoor Alam Shah, of JPMC highlighted the dire consequences of the disease terming it as a conglomerate of several drastic complications ranging from renal failure to heart trouble.
He pointed out that blood pressure and increased blood fats ie cholesterol added the risk of complications.
Dr Mashoor mentioned obesity and sedentary habits as the major causes of the disease and emphasised on the importance of weight reduction and regular exercise in the prevention of the disease.
He further explained that there were two main types of diabetes ie type-I and Type-II and added that 12 percent of adult Pakistani population was suffering from type-II.
"Now it is an additional concern that new cases of type-II are being reported in persons between the age of 10 to 19 years, raising the threats of onset of complications at an early age," he emphasised.
Dr Mashoor Alam further elaborated that 10 percent population of the country was not yet diagnosed and as such they were in pre-diabetes stage.
He suggested that they should be screened out as soon as possible, as early treatment of such cases would reduce the incidence of developing diabetes and its related complications.
He described age, family history, obesity, physical inactivity, high-cholesterol diet and pregnancy as the major risk factors associated with the prevalence of the disease.
Highlighting the effective preventive measures, he suggested mass health education, screening for diabetes, promotion of healthy diet, regular exercise and reduced weight.
Halima Nazar, Tabiba from Hamdard University, explained the Unani System of medicines in dealing with diabetes.
She pointed out that in the said system diabetes was managed in three ways ie Unani Dieto-Therapy (Ilaj Bil Ghiza), Unani Mono-Therapy (Ilaj Bil Mufridat) and Unani Poly-Therapy (Ilaj-Bil-Murakkabat).
Tabiba Halima recommended high use of cabbage, carrot, onion, garlic, pea, Karela, tender shoots of Neem, as the vegetables possessing anti-diabetes elements and help in limiting the disease.
Dr Vakil Hussain of Diabetes Association of Pakistan also deliberated on the issue.
Comments
Comments are closed.