RAWALPINDI: A coalition of non-profit organisations revealed on Tuesday that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) were on the rise in the country.

The simmering issue was highlighted in a press conference addressed by representatives of the Pakistan National Heart Association (Panah) and its coalition partners including Heart Files, Pakistan Youth Change Advocates (PYCA), Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI), Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), Pakistan Academy of Family Physicians (PAFP), Al-Pakistan Kidney Welfare Association (PKWA) and Diabetic Association of Pakistan (DAP) at a local hotel in Islamabad.

Medical experts said over 41 per cent of adults in Pakistan were either obese or overweight.

“Additionally, more than 33 million people are currently living with diabetes, with another 10 million on the verge of developing the disease.

Without immediate policy interventions, the number of individuals with diabetes is projected to surge to 62 million by 2045,” they said.

The number of people living with diabetes in Pakistan increased from 6.3 million in 2011 to 33 million in 2021 and approximately 36 million in 2024, with an additional one million as pre-diabetic, the medical experts said.

Panah General Secretary Sana Ullah Ghumman urged the government to prioritise public health over business interests. He said that the alarming rate of increasing NCDs was becoming a pandemic in the country.

“The government should take immediate action by imposing taxes on ultra-processed products to reduce their consumption,” he suggested.

He said that taxing ultra-processed foods was a triple win for the government and country as it would not only generate revenues but would also reduce the disease burden and increase productivity. Other participants said that ultra-processed food items, laden with unhealthy additives, sugar and artificial ingredients, were a leading cause of obesity, diabetes and other chronic diseases.

They said that taxing these products would incentivise healthier consumption habits, alleviate the growing strain on public health systems and support long-term sustainability by encouraging healthier diets and reducing carbon footprints linked to food production.

They said that the government should prioritise public health over corporate interests.

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2025