KARACHI: Pakistan has registered a three-fold increase in the incidence rate of type 2 diabetes during the past 20 years with 26.3 per cent people of the country, encompassing both rural and urban, inflicted with the disease, said Prof Abdul Basit, president (elect) International Diabetes Federation for Asia, Pacific and Mediterranean region here on Sunday.
Addressing a programme organised by the Diabetic Association of Pakistan and WHO Collaborating Centre to mark World Diabetes Day, he said the last study conducted in 1996-1997 identified 8.9 per cent of people suffering from diabetes.
In his presentation ‘National Diabetes Survey 2016-17’, based on an epidemiological study simultaneously conducted across the country by a team of trained researchers led by the speaker himself with the support of ministries concerned, IDF, PDA, BIDE and relevant professional bodies, he said elaborate details of the study will be made public on Monday. However, sharing the major findings of the study with his co- professionals during the scientific session of the daylong programme, the diabetologist said of the 26.3 people found to be suffering from diabetes, 19.2 per cent were those fully conscious of their health status while 7.1 per cent were diagnosed with the ailment during the survey itself.
