KARACHI, Dec 7: There are 194 million diabetics in the world today. However, the number of diabetics is expected to rise to 333 million by the year 2025.

About three-fourths of these people will be from the developing countries, including Pakistan which will be among the five countries with the largest populations of diabetics.

This was stated by Prof Samad Shera of the Diabetic Association of Pakistan (DAP) at a seminar that had been organized by his association in collaboration with the WHO Collaborating Centre, Karachi. The event, having the theme “Diabetes and Kidney Disease”, was held to mark the World Diabetes Day.

Twelve per cent of the Pakistani population suffered from diabetes, said Prof Shera. “The prevention from this ailment is almost mandatory, which is possible only through the adoption of a healthy lifestyle,” he said.

The complications from diabetes affected the quality of life very badly and was also a drain on the financial resources of a diabetic, he said. “In case of just one complication — kidney failure — the replacement therapy, that is dialysis, costs about Rs15,000 per session.

“Kidney transplantation requires at least Rs400,000 with Rs20,000 per month for immunosuppressive drugs.” However, prevention of Diabetic Kidney Failure was possible if good sugar and cholesterol levels in blood were maintained and urine infection and smoking were avoided, he pointed out.

On the occasion, Prof Adibul Hasan Rizvi of the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation talked at length about the challenges faced in urology, nephrology and transplantation. Diabetes, he said, was the leading cause of renal failure in the developing countries.

With the rising incidence of diabetes in these countries the number of complications would increase further, placing considerable financial burden both on the patients as well as exchequers, he said.

Talking of kidney transplantation, he said not long ago diabetics used to be excluded from transplantation programmes due to poor outcomes and high incidence of infections. “However, in modern times with improved technology and better immunosuppressive drugs, diabetics are increasingly being offered kidney transplantation as an option.”

Prof S.A. Jaffar Naqvi of the Kidney Foundation described renal failure as a global challenge. The most common cause of renal failure was diabetes.

He said 30 to 40 per cent of diabetics worldwide developed kidney failure. In the developing countries the low per capita income coupled with rising cost of dialysis made renal replacement therapy prohibitive.

Dr Obaid Hashmi said a survey had indicated that between 10 and 20 per cent of the entire patient population consulting the General Practitioners were diabetics. “It was also revealed that early tests for detecting Diabetic Nephrology as urine protein and albumin were advised in only 20 to 30 per cent cases.”

The afternoon session of the event, presided over by Illahi Bukhsh Soomro, was reserved for questions from old and new diabetics. Mr Soomro in his brief talk praised the DAP’s efforts in creating awareness about the disease which affects the whole body.

The professionals who fielded the questions were: Dr Ejaz Ahmed, Dr Najmul Islam, Dr Bilal Jamil, Dr Irfan Ahmed Khan, Prof Zaman Sheikh and Prof Samad Shera. Dr Fatema Jawad was the moderator.

In response to several questions, Prof Shera said diabetes could be dealt with. “if despite your efforts, your blood sugar is not controlled properly then either your doctor is stupid or you are not complying with his or her instructions.

“I am not ready to concede that there might be diabetes cases in which the medications available fail to control the level of sugar in your blood.” Elaborating, he said there were 17 ways in which insulin could be administered.