Experts urge diabetes patients to undergo pre-Ramazan risk assessment

KARACHI: An estimated 24 to 26 million people living with diabetes in Pakistan observe fasting during the holy month of Ramazan, but a majority of them do not seek medical advice beforehand, increasing their risk of avoidable complications, senior health professionals warned during a conference on Sunday.

Experts at the conference emphasised that fasting can be done safely by the vast majority of people with diabetes if it is properly planned. They urged patients to undergo pre-Ramazan risk assessment, adjust medications under medical supervision and monitor blood glucose levels regularly.

They clarified that checking blood sugar three to five times a day does not break the fast and advised patients to break their fast immediately if glucose levels fall below 70 mg/dl or rise above 300 mg/dl with symptoms or complications. Breaking the fast in a life-threatening situation, they said, does not carry any religious penalty beyond making up the fast once health improves.

Speaking, at the 12th International Diabetes and Ramazan Conference, organised by the Baqai Institute of Diabetology and Endocrinology (BIDE), as chief guest, Prof Javed Akram, Founder and former president of the Pakistan Society of Internal Medicine, said Pakistan currently has around 34.5 million people living with Type 2 diabetes and approximately 300,000 people with Type 1 diabetes.

“The issue is not fasting itself. The real problem is that most people do not consult their doctors before Ramazan to assess whether they are fit to fast, how their medicines or insulin should be adjusted, and how they should manage diet and hydration,” Prof Akram said.

Prof Aftab Mohsin, President of the Pakistan Society of Internal Medicine, said Ramazan should be a month of discipline and restraint rather than overindulgence. He warned that poor eating habits, irregular sleep and lack of medical planning often negate the potential health benefits of fasting.

Director BIDE Prof Zahid Miyan said the institute has been organising the Diabetes and Ramazan conference for the last 12 years to bridge the gap between religious intent and medical safety. “Almost every person with diabetes wants to fast, and rightly so,” he said.

Dr Muhammad Saif ul Haque, Chairman of the organising committee of the Diabetes and Ramazan Conference, said that across Pakistan and the wider Islamic world, between 70 and 85 percent of people with diabetes insist on fasting, making structured education on safe fasting essential rather than optional.

Highlighting the role of technology, Dr Somia, senior vice president of the Pakistan Society of Internal Medicine, said digital health applications in local languages can help patients monitor glucose levels, receive medication reminders and follow safer dietary plans.

Cardiologist Prof Feroz Memon warned that Ramazan in Pakistan often turns into an eating-heavy routine marked by excessive consumption of fried and sugary foods. “Fasting is beneficial for heart health only when it is accompanied by moderation and sensible food choices,” he said.

Other experts, including Prof Bashir Khoro, Prof Shabeen Naz Masood, senior gynaecologist and general secretary of the Diabetic Association of Pakistan, Prof Shehla Javed Akram, Prof Hakim Ali Abro and Prof Asher Fawad, stressed that with timely medical advice, structured risk assessment and sensible lifestyle adjustments, most people with diabetes can fast safely and benefit from the metabolic as well as spiritual gains of Ramazan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026