PESHAWAR, Nov 13: Professor AH Aamir, the head of the diabetes department at Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar, on Tuesday called for better public awareness of diabetes to prevent health problems caused by abnormally high glucose levels in blood.Professor Aamir told reporters at Peshawar Press Club here that the World Diabetes Day would be observed at HMC today (Wednesday) to increase public awareness of ways and means to prevent diabetes and prepare proposals for policymakers to control the disease.

He said the day was observed across the world every year on Nov 14 to sensitise the people to the alarming situation regarding diabetes. According to him, the diabetes incidence is high South Asia, including Pakistan.

“A global survey in 2011 found that more than 366 million people suffered from diabetes with adult ratio of 8.3 per cent around the world,” he said. Professor Aamir expressed the fear that if diabetes incidence continued to grow at the current pace, then it would reach the 552 million mark by 2030.

He said in Pakistan, more than seven million people suffered from diabetes according to a survey conducted in 1995 and the number could jump to 11 million by 2030 if measures for diabetes prevention and control were not taken.

According to him, diabetes and its complications are the major causes of early deaths in most developing countries around the world. He said the changing lifestyle, curtailment of physical activities and the excessive use of modern tools and methods were chiefly to blame for high diabetes incidence in the country. Professor Aamir said the situation was quite alarming regarding diabetes in the country and therefore, it was need of the hour to take preventive measures on emergency basis.—Bureau Report