Symposium
World Diabetes Day meeting by DAP
Standardization of diabetes care is important
for effective management-Abdul Basit
Increasing epidemic of Type-2 diabetes
need urgent measures-Prof. Zaman Sheikh
KARACHI: Diabetic Association of Pakistan (DAP) in collaboration with Diabetes in Asia Study Group (DASG) organized International Diabetes Conference on the occasion of World Diabetes Day at a local hotel in Karachi from 13-14th November 2021. Dr. Kazim Ali Jatoi, Provincial Secretary Health, Government of Sindh was the chief guest in the inaugural session. A galaxy of National faculty members graced the occasion besides Prof. Andrew Boulton, President IDF and Prof Akhtar Hussain, President Elect IDF and others participated through video link.
Dr. Kazim Ali Jatoi addressing the participants said that Pakistan is coming out of COVID situation and Sindh government tackled the grave situation promptly by establishing labs and testing was done on emergency basis. COVID has given us many lessons, People got familiar with the use of technology. Many people left us which was a great loos. Diabetes education is recognized as a key component of diabetes prevention and management. Investment in diabetes education and diabetes prevention is extremely important which will save money and deliver quality of life for people with diabetes and at high risk of diabetes.
Group photograph taken during the World Diabetes Day meeting organized by Diabetic Association of Pakistan at
Karachi recently shows from (L to R) Dr. Zaman Sheikh, Dr. Somia Iqtidar, Dr. Shabeen Naz Masood, Dr. Aftab
Mohsin, Dr. Bikaram, Dr. Azizur Rehman, Dr. Abdul Basit, Dr. Tariq Waseem and Dr.Sajid Abaidullah.
Chairman organizing committee of the conference, Professor Muhammad Zaman Shaikh in his welcome address said that Diabetic Association of Pakistan and WHO Collaborating Centre Karachi strives to help the people with diabetes and those who were at risk of developing it by providing innovative patient care, diabetes education and related services with the hope of improving the overall quality of life for affectees. World Diabetes Day (WDD) is celebrated every year on November 14, at global level. The theme of this year for WDD is “Access to Diabetes Care. There are three crore thirty lac (38.8%) diabetic population in Pakistan, eighty eight lac undiagnosed and about 26% are not aware that they are diabetics. In children type -2 diabetes is also increasing very rapidly for which urgent measures are needed to control this epidemic for which our health expenditure must be increased.
Prof. Abdul Basit Director BIDE presented the vote of thanks and offered Dua-e-Maghfrat for those left this World due to COVID-19 pandemic. He also highlighted the various projects initiated by BIDE in collaboration with various organizations and provinces. Sindh Government he stated has signed an MOU with BIDE and they have started following SOPs proposed by us for diabetes screening and care at its healthcare facilities. We are in discussion about similar MOU with Government of Baluchistan and Punjab, in KPK initiated provision of free Insulin to Type-I diabetics , have started free insulin for TIDM in Baluchistan and in Multan with the help of our colleagues. He urged that all diabetics must be put on statins, metformin and ACE Inhibitors without asking for any investigations because this is a cost effective approach. We need to train diabetes nurses and have invited them to participate in this conference.
Speaking about the DROP Registry, Prof. Basit said that It has been launched and it is on One Cloud Technology, we stated working on it 2006. It will cover T1DM, T2DM, Gestational Diabetes as well as data related to Diabetic Foot. It is sponsored by PharmEvo Pharmaceuticals. Standardization of diabetes care is very important for its effective management. Government should apply heavy tax on unhealthy food and drinks and that money should be spent on diabetes care. Every school must have paly ground so that our children have healthy activities which is very much lacking in educational institutes, he added.
Prof. Noor Jehan Samad in her remarks said that Diabetes is a chronic, debilitating and costly disease, we have to go on warpath to control it. Diabetic Association of Pakistan, she stated is providing free of cost treatment to diabetics, eye care and free insulin with the help of Zakat funds, also imparting knowledge to doctors and awareness to general public.
Mian Mukhtar Ahmed, President DAP and Prof. Shabeen Naz Masood, also addressed the participants in the inaugural session besides Dr. Mesbah Kamel President DASG participated through video link. Dr. Musarrat Riaz moderated the session. Scientific programme of the conference was spread in various scientific sessions besides public awareness session and session for nurses.