Diabetes experts have warned that due to economic pressure, multiple jobs, unhealthy diet, and lack of physical activity, a large number of young people aged between 20 and 30 are developing diabetes often without knowing it until they are hospitalized with complications such as blocked heart arteries and high blood pressure.
During a press briefing by Discovering Diabetes, it was revealed that the number of young patients in emergency wards of major public and private hospitals is rapidly increasing. Many of these individuals are shocked to learn during angiography that they have been suffering from type 2 diabetes and hypertension for a long time but remained untreated due to lack of awareness.
Experts said that by the time the disease is diagnosed, damage has already occurred to blood vessels, kidneys, and other organs.
During the press briefing, the Discovering Diabetes Program performance report for 2024–25 was also released. According to the report, the campaign has reached over 8.5 million people, tracked diabetes risk profiles of 966,000 individuals, connected 463,000 suspected patients with doctors, and provided free screening and counseling to more than 348,000 people.
Experts said these figures prove that the silently spreading epidemic of undiagnosed diabetes is gradually engulfing the young generation in Pakistan.
Former President of the Pakistan Endocrine Society, Dr. Abrar Ahmed, stated that every fourth person in the country is diabetic, and if lifestyle changes are not made immediately, the situation will worsen in the coming years. He added that weight loss injections have diverted people’s attention away from the real issue of diabetes and regular blood sugar monitoring.
Project Director of Discovering Diabetes, Syed Jamshed Ahmed, said that 33 million people in Pakistan are officially registered as diabetic patients, while an estimated equal number remain undiagnosed. He mentioned that thousands of people discovered their condition for the first time during screening. “The mindset that eating a kilo of gulab jamun is no big deal has pushed our youth toward disability,” he added.
PharmEvo’s Managing Director, Haroon Qasim, revealed that around 230,000 people in Pakistan die each year due to diabetes and its complications. He said that Gulf countries impose heavy taxes on sugary drinks, and Pakistan should do the same to encourage healthier eating habits.
Dr. Soumya Iqtidar and Dr. Khursheed Ahmed Khan stated that diabetes and hypertension are interlinked diseases, and unless awareness and screening are made part of the primary healthcare system, this epidemic will continue to spread rapidly.
TriFit CEO, Ahmer Azam, said, “As a nation, we tend to rely on coincidence rather than system. If a person cannot spare just two and a half hours a week for exercise, expecting a healthy life is nothing but self deception.”
He also announced that all digital screens of TriFit will display diabetes awareness messages for one week.
