Discussion to create awareness of diabetes in Children held in the capital

Expert physicians have urged people to share more knowledge on a healthy diet and physical exercise to protect from diabetes in future during a discussion meeting held at BIRDEM Ma o Shishu Hospital in the capital on Monday.

Denmark-based pharmaceutical Novo Nordisk arranged a discussion to create awareness of Type 1 diabetes under Changing Diabetes in Children (CDiC) programme.

Novo Nordisk is also one of the co-sponsors of the day-long national-level events of Bangladesh Diabetes Samity (BADAS) which includes screening and awareness campaigns at different centres of BADAS and at National Healthcare Network (NHN).

National Professor and President Bangladesh Diabetics Samity (BADAS) AK Azad Khan, NCDC Line Director Dr Md. Robed Amin, H E Winnie Estrup Petersen, Denmark Ambassador to Bangladesh, BADAS General Secretary Md. Sayef Uddin, BIRDEM Director General Prof. M K I Qayyum Chowdhury, CDiC consultant coordinator Dr Bedowra Zabeen and Novo Nordisk vice president and General Manager,  Rajarshi Dey Sarker were also present on the occasion.

BADAS President Prof. AK Azad Khan said there are approximately 13.1 million diabetic patients in Bangladesh and the number will be 22.2 million by 2045 as mentioned by The International Diabetes Federation (IDF). "Most people do not know they have diabetes, and this puts them at increased risk of life-threatening complications. We should promote more awareness of the disease," he also added.