Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Md Sharfuddin Ahmed at a seminar have stressed on the essence of leading disciplined life alongside regular exercise and taking balanced food to prevent the silent killer disease of diabetes.
He viewed this at the scientific seminar on “Diabetes and Retina: Bridging the Gap arranged by Bangladesh Endocrine Society and Bangladesh Vitreo Retina Society at Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib convention hall in BSMMU on Sunday afternoon
while Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Md Sharfuddin Ahmed was present in the seminar as the chief guest.
Dr. Shahjada Selim , Associate Professor, Dept. of Endocrinology, (Specialist, Hormone & Diabetes), BSMMU, in Dhaka, general secretary of Bangladesh Endocrine Society, Nuzhat Choudhury, executive member of Bangladesh Vitreo Retina Society, professor of eye department of BSMMU presented a keynote essay narrating various aspects of diabetes.
Expert physicians, freedom fighters, educationists, business community leaders, civil society members and local elite participated in the programmes.
He discussed the national and global scenario of the spread of diabetes, complexities being caused by the disease, especially during the corona pandemic, and forwarded suggestions for way-outs of diabetes patients.
“Most of the people are not sufficiently aware of severe risks of the silent killer disease of diabetes which gradually destroys the immune system of the human body leading toward death mutely,” he added.
He discussed various side-effects of diabetes to patients suffering from to skin, gynecology and eye diseases. The experts said the human body has a unique characteristic of each disease. However, diabetes is a silent killer deadly disease.
They said patients may become paralysed if they do not receive timely treatment and regular treatment. In addition, the power of vision may be lost forever.
The chief guest urged experts and health service providers to make diabetic patients aware of the severity of the disease and inspire them in leading a more disciplined and systematic life with changed food habits to prevent diabetes and lead a normal life.
Diabetes is a global epidemic, and this epidemic is rising faster in developing countries like Bangladesh than in developed ones. Diabetes was recognised as an epidemic first by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and then subsequently by the World Health Organization (WHO).
In 2006 as Secretary General of the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh, I requested the government of Bangladesh to raise this issue to the United Nations for a UN Day.
Diabetes evolves as a combination of two factors: genetic and environmental. From a practical point of view, we inherit genetic factors which are beyond our control. But the environmental factors are largely our creation.
Avoiding regular physical exercise leads to obesity, and this is one of the principal risk factors contributing to diabetes.
Maternal malnutrition has been proven to contribute to diabetes in the offspring. Children born underweight are programmed to develop diabetes and hypertension at a later life.
Type-1 diabetes is insulin-dependent and usually develops at a very young age. If both parents have type-2 diabetes then their offsprings have a high chance of developing diabetes. One may recommend that people who have developed type-2 diabetes at a young age may consider avoiding getting married to someone having type-2 diabetes also at a young age.
Type-1 diabetes leads to the inability to produce insulin and insulin is like food or water. One may consider this as a human rights issue and the government should think about providing insulin to all type-1 diabetics.
The existing treatments for diabetes can be categorised under several groups. The first group of medicine makes insulin more efficient by increasing insulin sensitivity. The second group works by increasing insulin production.
The third group involves manipulation of other hormones like incretins which are involved in glucose control. The fourth group works by slowing the glucose absorption in intestines.
The fifth group works by allowing the kidney to release glucose with urine thus lowering blood glucose and preventing weight gain.
For type-1 diabetics insulin is essential and to keep them healthy insulin has to be made available to them. Type-2 diabetics may also need insulin at a later stage, because diabetes is a progressive disease.
Insulin secretion capacity gradually goes down. For people with diabetes, availability of insulin has become a subject of human rights since type-1 diabetes cannot be prevented. Lower-income groups cannot regularly afford insulin due to financial constraints.
The Diabetics Association of Bangladesh annually provides Tk 11 crore worth of insulin to poor patients for free.
This amount, however, is not enough for Bangladesh. Apart from insulin, other expensive medicines are required as well for diabetes treatment. The wealthy section of the society, along with the government, should work together to help poor patients.
A diabetes patient becomes less productive and is deemed to be a permanent financial burden on the whole family.
A significant amount must be invested, on a monthly basis, in the treatment process. A low-income individual would eventually cave in to such burden of costs.
It is true that assistance from friends and family is required to confront diabetes. Patients cannot and should not conceal, especially from family members, the fact that they have diabetes. Any person being treated for such a condition needs a controlled diet, the right medicines, and a disciplined lifestyle.
Diabetes is not a disease which can be confronted alone. Mental and physical support must be provided to patients.
A strict diet is critical and, most importantly, appropriate foods should be taken. As mentioned before, patients in many cases need a lot of financial help. A diabetic must be educated on his disease if he wants to remain healthy.
Type-2 diabetes is largely preventable at least in 70-80 percent of cases. We still do not know how to effectively prevent type-1 diabetes. Type-1 diabetes is always a symptom. But type-2 diabetes may remain a symptom until complications arise.
That is why it is important to have regular check-ups to prevent further complications. Print and electronic media, billboards, and posters can be used to raise awareness of diabetes.
Moreover, imams of various mosques are encouraged, by associations such as ours, to talk about diabetes while delivering weekly sermons.
Imams also give people with diabetes advice about regular care, further follow-ups and annual screening of complications related to diabetes by visiting the nearest centre of BADAS,
which helps to create a referral system between primary care (EDC centres in upazila level), secondary care (BADAS-affiliated centres/hospitals in district level) and tertiary care (specialised centres/hospitals like Birdem,
Ibrahim Cardiac and Research Institutes, Ibrahim Foot Care Hospital, etc.) which are some facilities of BADAS.
