WORLD Diabetes Day arrives as new research sheds light on the extent of discrimination Pakistanis living with diabetes encounter — including children who will eventually become part of a workforce unprepared to support them. The International Diabetes Federation’s latest survey, placing Pakistan at the top of global workplace bias, should alarm policymakers. That 68pc of employees with diabetes report negative treatment at work makes it not just a workplace issue, but a public health and societal failure. Pakistan already bears one of the world’s highest diabetes burdens. With 33m adults diagnosed and another 8.9m undiagnosed, the disease is a silent national emergency. But the crisis begins far earlier. The IDF estimates that around 1.8m children and adolescents worldwide live with Type 1 diabetes — and Pakistan is among the countries witnessing a worrying rise in childhood incidence. Meanwhile, local paediatricians report increasing Type 2 diagnoses in urban centres, driven by poor nutrition, sedentary lifestyles, and weak preventive care. These children will grow into adults needing stable employment, supportive workplaces, and an end to stigma.

Yet the IDF findings show the opposite: 58pc of employees have considered quitting due to negative treatment, while more than half say they were denied time off for essential care. Those with Type 1 diabetes — the form most common in children — fare worse, with nearly three-quarters reporting discriminatory experiences, including being refused breaks for glucose checks or insulin administration. These are routine, life-preserving needs. Such attitudes not only violate basic rights, they risk shaping future generations’ prospects. A child who grows up fearing judgement for managing their condition will enter adulthood hesitant to disclose it — mirroring the survey’s finding that only one in 20 employees has informed their employer of their diagnosis. Pakistan cannot afford this. Diabetes-related complications already strain hospitals and push families into poverty. For children, delays in care can lead to long-term organ damage, stunted growth, and psychological distress — all of which carry lifelong social and economic costs. Employers must recognise that inclusion is not charity; it is essential to a healthy and productive workforce. Flexible schedules, private spaces for glucose monitoring, and strict nondiscrimination policies are simple but transformative steps. On this World Diabetes Day, Pakistan must acknowledge that its diabetes crisis is medical, social, and generational. No child or adult should have to hide this condition.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2025