Number of diabetic patients in country now 71 lakh
World Diabetes Day today
UNB
Bangladesh Diabetic Samity on Sunday said the number of diabetic patients in the country is now on the sharp rise as it now stands at over 71 lakh, reports UNB.
Diabetic patients are on the rise across the world. But, its rate is much higher in the developing countries like Bangladesh than the developed world, Samity president Prof AK Azad Khan told a press conference in the capital.
Bangladesh Diabetic Samity arranged the press conference at its office at Birdem Hospital on the occasion of World Diabetes Day to be observed today (Nov 14).
Highlighting the global scenario, Prof Azad said there were about 41.5 crore diabetic patients across the world in 2015, and the number of patients will increase to 64.4 crore in 2040 if effective measures are not taken to prevent the disease.
He said now one diabetic patient dies in every seven second in the world while around 5 lakh a year. Prof Azad said Bangladesh can reduce budgetary allocation in health sector by 11 per cent (Tk 2,000 crore) by preventing the complications of diabetic patients.
Diabetes Samity secretary general Mohammad Saif Uddin said about 50 per cent of diabetic patients in the country are not aware that they are affected by the disease.
Thats why a mass campaign involving people from all strata should be launched to make people aware of diabetes, he said.
