Diabetes has assumed epidemic proportions; preventive measures must: Minister.

LAHORE, November 14, 2009 (Balochistan Times): Diabetes has assumed the proportion of an epidemic which has engulfed almost 12% to 15% of our population, said Punjab Minister for population welfare Neelam Jabbar Ch. Saturday. Talking to delegations of doctors who had called on her in connection with the World Diabetes Day today, Neelam Jabbar Ch. said that to handle such an enormous problem in a third world country with limited financial resources is not possible without the cooperation of philanthropists. According to a hand out, she called for concerted efforts to launch an awareness campaign about the fatal aspects of diabetes. She stressed that joint efforts were required with active participation of the government, physicians, NGOs, media and general public. Our system cannot alone take this pressure to care for the need of chronic complications of diabetes like dialysis, heart surgery, laser treatment of eye, renal transplantation. However, the best strategy for us would be to concentrate on planning for prevention and early treatment of the disease, she maintained. The minister said that a poorly controlled diabetes can end up with a dreaded complications of cerebrovascular accidents or debilitating eye involvement leading to blindness.In fact, every system of the body could be affected. She said Punjab government has introduced many reforms in health sector through regeneration of existing resources, adding that budget allocations for health and other social sectors have been increased significantly. The minister said that in Pakistan more than 40% of the adult population, over the age of 45, suffers from one or the other of form of non-communicable diseases, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and even cancer.

(THROUGH ASIA PULSE)