KARACHI: The prevalence rate of diabetes mellitus in Pakistan is very high; it is around 10 per cent in adult population.

Considering this grave situation about diabetes, Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), in collaboration with Diabetes Association of Pakistan (DAP) is organizing an International Diabetes Conference at Karachi from December 10 to 12, 2011. Venue of this conference for scientific sessions will be Dow Medical College, Karachi.

Inauguration Session will be at a local hotel on Saturday, 10th December, 2011.

The high figures of overall prevalence of abnormal glucose tolerance (Diabetes Mellitus and Impaired Glucose Tolerance) 20.5 per cent in women and 15.9 per cent in men are alarming. In diabetic patients cardiovascular complications occur at an earlier age and often result in premature death.

Overall cardiovascular morbidity and mortality rate in diabetics is 2-4 folds higher. Death from heart diseases in women with diabetes is 23 per cent more as compared to those without diabetes. People with diabetes are 2-4 times more likely to suffer stroke.

Diabetes is also the leading cause of end stage renal failure accounting for about 43 per cent of new cases every year. Diabetes also causes blindness in diabetics between the ages of 20-74 years. The risk of leg amputation is 15-40 times greater in diabetics.

In Pakistan total annual cost of diabetic treatment is not known, but in USA during the year 2002 it was estimated to be 132 billion dollar that means one out of ten dollars is spent on diabetes.