August 29, 2008	Friday	Sha'aban 26, 1429

HYDERABAD, Aug 28: The government should ensure provision of medicines at affordable price, more so, life saving drugs, said film celebrity and model Zeba Bakhtiyar. She also called for doing away with taxes on such medicines.

Speaking at an awareness programme organised by a private hospital in collaboration with a pharmaceutical company at Pucca Qila here on Thursday, Ms Bakhtiyar said that though she suffers from diabetes but was leading a normal life for last 16 years.

“I got too depressed and landed in a hospital when diagnosed a diabetic patient”, she said.

She blamed the stress resulting out of economic conditions leading people towards diabetes.

She recalled how she gained strength after coming across a similar patient whose both legs were amputated.

“Even after losing his legs, he was happy and contented which greatly impressed me”, she said. She said that she thanked Allah Almighty for sparing her from disability. However, I regularly take insulin”, she said.

She said that she always tries to remain calm and engages herself in different activities.

“Regular exercise, balanced diet, healthy activities are a treatment to the illness”, she said.

She urged people to improve their lifestyle to take benefit of blessings of nature.