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Friday March 29, 2024

Diabetes control linkedto balanced diet, exercise

By Sitara Jabeen Butt
November 14, 2017

LAHORE :Diabetes is a curable disease but if it is not controlled at initial stage it can damage body parts. Diabetes cannot be completely eliminated but it can be controlled through balanced diet, exercise and proper use of medicines.

Healthy life can be administered without additional expenses. There is a dire need to spread awareness about diabetes among public. When diabetics do not control their sugar, their nerves begin to weaken slowly and this is painful for the patient.

These views were expressed by the speakers in a seminar related to World Diabetes Day “Our Right to a Healthy Future” organised by Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman Memorial Society (Jang Group of Newspapers), Post Graduate Medical Institute (PGMI), Ameer-ud-Din Medical College, Lahore General Hospital and Novo Nordisk.Professor Dr Ghias-un-Nabi Tayyab (Principal Post Graduate Medical Institute, Ameer-ud-Din Medical College, Lahore General Hospital) presided this event.

Punjab Minister for Specialised Health Care and Medical Education  Khawaja Salman Rafique was the chief guest. senior analyst/anchorperson Geo TV Sohail Warraich, Member Board of Management Afzaal Bhatti, Registrar Medical Education Post Graduate Institute Ameer-ud-Din Medical College, Lahore General Hospital Professor Dr Muneeza Saeed and Novo Nordisk Waseem Mukhtar were guests of honour.

Professor of Medicine Dr Farah Shafee, Incharge Medical Unit DEMC II Dr Imran Hassan Khan, Professor of Surgery Post Graduate Medical Institute, Lahore General Hospital Professor Dr Farooq Afzal, Professor of Gynae Post Graduate Medical Institute, Lahore General Hospital Professor Dr Farhat Naz, Professor of Neurology Post Graduate Medical Institute, Lahore General Hospital Professor Dr Ahsan Nouman, ACD & PAFP Punjab Dr Tahir Chaudhry and Head of Nephrology, Post Graduate Medical Institute, Lahore General Hospital Dr Aurang Zaib Afzal were panel experts and the event was hosted by Wasif Nagi (Pride of Performance, Senior Editor Health, Education, Current Affairs and Chairman Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman Memorial Society, Jang Group). Khaleeq Hamid recited verses of the Holy Quran and Naat Rasool-e-Maqbool (PBUH).

Punjab Minister for Specialised Health Care and Medical Education Khawaja Salman Rafique said we are working much to improve our health sector. Young girls and boys are working in remote areas. We should pay tribute to Human Resource Department for this. Thousands of patients from remote areas come to the hospitals of Punjab. There are 25 district hospitals in Punjab. We are also working to promote health insurance. 

Sohail Warraich said diabetes is spreading rapidly throughout the world and it is spoiling the health of people. He shared that he is a patient of diabetes and take insulin on daily basis. 

Professor Ghias-un-Nabi said diabetics do not suffer from one disease but develop other diseases also. Treatment of any disease is not possible until all stakeholders play their role. When an individual suffers from diabetes, he also suffers from retinopathy (eye disease), nephropathy (kidney disease), heart and brain diseases. 

Waseem Mukhtar said this seminar is organised by the team work. He said Novo Nordisk is a multinational company and it comes on number one in the making of insulin. If precautionary measures are taken this disease cannot harm any patient.

Wasif Nagi (Pride of Performance, Senior Editor Health, Education, Current Affairs and Chairman Mir Khalil Ur Rehman Memorial Society, Jang Group), said that people should consult certified doctors not the quacks and medical tests prescribed by the doctors should not be delayed. 

Dr Imran Hassan (Incharge Medical Unit DEMC II) said one-thirds of the patients do not know that they are diabetics whereas 80 percent of the patients belong to under-developing areas. He said we worked more on research. Dr Javaid Iqbal said a diabetic affects the entire family. We have changed our lifestyle. We stay up all the night and sleep all the day. These habits are worsening the diseases.

Afzaal Bhatti said there are a lot of casualties due to diabetes. This is happening due to lack of awareness. Dr Tahir Chaudhry said we ignore exercise. If obesity is genetic, still we can control the complications through exercise, balanced diet and precautionary measures. Exercise is very necessary for the diabetics and patient should check his blood sugar after and before the exercise process. 

Dr Ahsan Nouman said behaviour plays an important role in human life. Due to lack of awareness, patients get scared of the disease. They should tell patients that diabetics can live healthy and normal life. They should wash their feet with lukewarm water.  Dr Farooq Afzaal said obesity is measured through Body Mass Index (BMI). In the past 10 years, there has been a lot of progress in surgery.

There are two ways to control diabetes; to reduce the size of the stomach and the second one is the bypass surgery of stomach. Dr Aurang Zaib Afzal said according to a study; in 2010, millions of people in Pakistan were suffering from kidney disease whereas 70 percent of them were diabetics too.

Dr Farhat Naz said women who have diabetes during pregnancy should have their baby delivery in a good hospital because it's a matter of the life of both mother and child. 

Dr Zubair Saleem said when diabetes is not controlled, it affects eyes. Eyes and nerves are affected due to high blood sugar. Diabetes affects blood vessels. Each person and diabetics should examine their eyes once a year. Dr Farah Shafee said diabetics should avoid sugar and sugar-made food, high cholesterol and fatty food; they should eat bran bread.

Razia Bano said she is a diabetic but by adopting precautionary measures she is living a healthy life. Dr Muneeza Saeed said this seminar was all about the World Diabetes Day with the purpose was to create awareness among public. I hope this seminar has added to public information. —