ISLAMABAD: Federal health authorities have warned that Pakistan faces therisk of international isolation and strict travel restrictions if thecountry’s state of health affairs was not improved as donors were fed up offinancing health programs in the country due to poor performance in healthsector during the last 20 years, local media *reports*linkhavestated.
Federal Secretary Ministry of National Health Services Captain (retd )Zahid Saeed on Wednesday said that “our state of affairs is notsatisfactory at all as we have failed to eradicate polio despite thousandsof polio vaccination drives, measles and other communicable diseases areresurfacing, while on the front of non-communicable diseases, we are facedwith epidemics of diabetes, hypertension and obesity.”
Speaking at the launch ceremony of “National Diabetes Survey of Pakistan2016-17”, the federal health secretary conceded that the overall situationis in ‘bad shape’ in Pakistan, blaming it on the lack of sincerity on partof officials.
According to the NDSP 2016-17 by the Pakistan Health Research Council,Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, one inevery four persons aged 20 and above is diabetic in Pakistan.
“There is an increasing trend towards younger people developing diabetes as30% of those between 20-39 years have diabetes, which is a worrying trendresulting in the loss of a very productive individual”, noted the report.Similarly, the rise of diabetes in rural setting is another concern as itwill reduce their working potential as well.
Highest prevalence of diabetes was observed in Sindh (32.3%), followed byPunjab (30.2%), Balochistan (29.5%), and KPK (13.2%). The survey alsoidentified an overall 52.6% prevalence of hypertension or high bloodpressure in the country including 27.9% known hypertensive and 24.7% newlydiagnosed cases.
Terming the survey results as ‘extremely alarming’, the secretary saidPakistanis would now have to reconsider their eating habits and lifestyleas millions of young people are becoming diabetic due to their dietaryhabits, lack of physical exercise, excessive use of motor vehicles, andavoiding walk on daily basis.
“We should wake up now or we would become a nation of disabled persons.Despite the fact that diabetes is preventable, millions are affected it dueto bad and sedentary lifestyle and habits”, he said.
Likewise, health minister Muhammad Yousaf Sheikh urged people to takeresponsibility of their health saying almost every family in Pakistan isaffected by Type-2 diabetes and asked healthcare providers and doctors tocreate as much awareness as possible to prevent all such diseases.
Presenting the results of the survey, lead investigator of the survey andDirector BIDE Prof Abdul Basit said: “Pakistan has the 4th highest numberof diabetics in the world and if this state of affairs continues andnothing is done to improve the situation, days are not far when Pakistanwould be the number one country on this list”, he warned calling forimmediate steps to prevent the epidemic.