Bangladesh plans countrywide survey for diabetes patients

DHAKA, Nov. 14 (NsNewsWire) — On the eve of the World Diabetes Day which falls on Nov. 14, Bangladesh Diabetes Association (BDA) has announced to conduct a fresh survey to find out the actual number of diabetes patients in the country which is home to 7.1 million diabetes patients, reports Xinhua.
“We have a plan to conduct a pilot survey to get the actual figure of diabetes patients and depict the real scenario of the disease in the country,” BDA Secretary General Mohammad Saif Uddin was quoted as saying in a report of the state-run news agency BSS.
International Diabetes Federation (IFD) found around 7.1 million diabetes patients in the country in 2015 but the figure is not reliable, he said, adding, “so we need to carry out a fresh survey to get the actual number of patients for taking further measures to prevent the disease.”
The survey would be conducted in eight sub-district of eight divisions in the country where 100 per cent population would be screened, Saif Uddin said.
After completing an authentic survey, it will be possible to pay adequate attention to the specific needs and priorities of the diabetes patients.
“The actual figure is also required for sufficient budgetary allocation in this context.”
He also said World Diabetes Day will be observed Tuesday in the country as elsewhere in the world in a befitting manner with the theme of ‘Women and diabetes – our right to a healthy future’.
The day will be observed to highlight the importance of affordable and equitable access to health care for all women at risk or living with diabetes, he continued.   Enditem