PESHAWAR, Nov 14: Director of the Abasin Institute of Medical Sciences, Dr Malik Javed Iqbal, said on Monday that around 20 per cent of the country’s population suffered from diabetes and awareness was the best way to arrest the spread of the disease.

Speaking at a news conference on the World Diabetes Day, Dr Iqbal said the institute was providing medical cover to diabetes patients in eight districts and tribal agencies.

“Our main focus is on prevention of the disease by spreading awareness through community clinics,” he said.

He said the government should arrange free distribution of insulin among patients as it was costly.

He said the Abasin Institute had sent teams to Mansehra and Battagram to provide free medical service to the victims of last month’s earthquake. He said The institute’s volunteers had set up their base camp in the rural health centre at Shinkiari, from where teams were being sent to remote areas.