KARACHI: Highlighting the need to raise public awareness about diabetes, a public health specialist at a programme held on Tuesday at the Karachi Press Club (KPC) shared that the latest international data shows that 24,000 Pakistanis — the majority of them children — currently live with Type 1 diabetes, an incurable autoimmune disease.

Senior consultant diabetes educator Erum Ghaffor has recently been elected vice president of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). She is the first Pakistani woman to hold this prestigious position, having secured 112 votes from over 270 associations worldwide.

“Unfortunately, there hasn’t been much focus on Type 1 diabetes in which our immune system attacks insulin-making cells, destroying the natural ability of the body to produce insulin. The hormone is needed by the body’s cells to absorb glucose from the food,” Ms Ghaffor explained while speaking to journalists at a programme held in her honour.

According to her, while the disease can affect individuals of any age, it mostly affects children.

Expert laments lack of focus on the disease, which destroys body’s natural ability to produce insulin

“The disease can kill, if the patient is not immediately diagnosed and provided the required treatment. The latest IDF Atlas 2025 says that Pakistan has 24,000 people living with Type 1 diabetes.”

Discussing its signs and symptoms, she said these include abdominal pain, extreme thirst, frequent urination, nausea and vomiting, fatigue, lethargy and fruity-smelling breath.

“Prompt diagnosis is needed to help prevent diabetes ketoacidosis, a serious complication which occurs when the body can’t produce enough insulin and the body starts break down fat. This causes a buildup of acids in the bloodstream called ketones.”

To support patients with Type 1 diabetes, she pointed out that 27 clinics providing free treatment and support have been set up across the country. These clinics are part of the Changing Diabetes in Children project, which is currently operational in 32 countries.

“In Pakistan, over 3,300 children have already been registered and are receiving free insulin, glucometers, pen devices, needles, and testing strips,” she said.

Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at a young age, Ms Ghafoor shared that she turned her illness into strength. “I understand the pain of these children, which is why I’ve been entrusted with this project,” she added.

Originally planned to run through 2025, the initiative aimed to establish 40 clinics, of which 27 have been completed — 7 in Sindh and 9 in Punjab. The project timeline has now been extended to 2030, with a new target of reaching 6,000 children.

Also present on the occasion were the KPC President Fazil Jamili, Joint Secretary Muhammad Munsif, Health Committee Secretary Hamid ur Rehman and senior journalists.

The club presented Ms Ghafoor with a traditional Ajrak and a shield.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2025