ISLAMABAD — Pakistan is among the countries with the highest prevalence of diabetes with the number of patients continuously increasing, speakers said at a World Diabetes Day seminar. The Pakistan Society of Internal Medicine (PSIM) and Sir Syed College of Medical Sciences, Karachi, in collaboration with the Express Media Group, organised the seminar titled "Early Action on Diabetes".
Pharmaceutical companies Getz Pharma, Nabiqasim Pharma, Martin Dow, ATCO, HIGH-Q, Highnoon, PharmEvo, Hoechst Pakistan, Searle, Scilife and Servier also supported the programme. PSIM Patron-in-Chief Professor Javed Akram was the chief guest and President Professor Aftab Mohsin was the guest of honour. Chairman of the PSIM National Diabetes Chapter organised the seminar.
A number of medical professionals, students and people from different walks of life attended the event. Professor Dr Javed Akram said on the occasion that around 80 per cent of people in the country were suffering from diabetes, while half of them were unaware that they had developed the disease. The tragedy, he added, was that the remaining people were also at risk of becoming diabetic.