LAHORE, NOV. 2018: A seminar titled “Diabetes A Wake Up Call for CVDs – The Family and Diabetes, Discover, Prevent, Manage,” was held recently to mark the globally celebrated day, World Diabetes Day by CCL Pharmaceuticals in collaboration with the Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman Memorial Society (MKRMS), Jang Group of Newspapers, at the Pearl Continental Hotel in Lahore.
CCL’s senior managers and leading physicians and diabetologists were present on this occasion and shared their views related to diabetes. Professor Dr. Zafarullah Khan, Professor of Medicine, Dr. Aziz-ur-Rehman, Professor of Medicine, Dr. Irshad Hussain Qureshi, Professor of Medicine, Professor Dr. Tariq Wasim, and Dr. Imran Hassan, Professor of Medicine were included in the panel of experts.
“We are pleased to welcome you to this insightful seminar on World Diabetes Day,” remarked Syed Muhammad Abdullah, Business Unit Manager CCL Pharmaceuticals. Muhammad Akram, Commercial Director CCL presented the note of thanks and Wasif Nagi, Senior Editor Health Education, Current Affairs and President of MKRMS-Jang hosted the seminar.
“Prevention is the best cure of diabetes and balanced diet, regular exercise and healthy lifestyle play an important role to keep the disease at bay. Giving up junk food and carbonated drinks, consuming fresh fruits and vegetables and exercise daily will help prevent diabetes,” remarked Professor Zafarullah Khan, former Vice Chancellor of King Edward Medical University.
“Diabetes was fast spreading among people not only in Pakistan but around the world. It is also a genetic disease and can be inherited by children from their diabetic parents,” he said, adding major risk factors for type 2 diabetes include obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
Prof Dr Aziz-ur-Rehman, former Professor of Medicine at Services Hospital Lahore, said diabetes had become a common disease as even 30-year-olds were also being diagnosed with this disease and additionally it can be inherited as well. “It is in our hands to prevent the disease before happening and to control the disease after happening,” he said, adding the balanced diet with fresh fruits and vegetables and 35 to 40 minutes of walk are the key factors to keep diabetes away. “If preventive measures are not adopted then diabetes can be dangerous and can lead to more diseases,” he added.
Professor Dr. Tariq Wasim said that the diabetes in pregnant woman could be harmful for both the mother and newborn therefore it was necessary for mothers-to-be to avoid the disease for child bearing. He said that the obese pregnant women were more vulnerable to contract diabetes therefore they must watch their weight.
Prof Dr Irshad Hussain Qureshi, Professor of Medicine said, “The discovery of insulin occurred in 1921 following the ideas of a Canadian orthopedic surgeon named Frederick G. Banting, the chemistry skills of his assistant Charles Best, and John MacLeod of the University of Toronto in Canada, and with that reference we celebrate World Diabetes Day every year on 14th November.”
He advised to adopt preventive measures to avoid diabetes through healthy lifestyle. “We need to protect our new generations from this disease,” he said, and advised people to avoid oily and fast foods, cold drinks, sweets, etc., and do regular physical exercise to avoid sugar.
Muhammad Akram, Commercial Director, CCL Pharmaceuticals, said approximately 12 per cent of the health budget worldwide was spent on prevention, control and treatment of diabetes. He said CCL was running an awareness program, Partners in Prevention which is aimed to create awareness among the masses so that they were able to lead healthy lives
