World Diabetes Day was observed in the country on Tuesday with a view to raising awareness and promoting early diagnosis to prevent this non-communicable disease.
To mark the day, insulin market giant Novo Nordisk launched a nationwide diabetes awareness and education campaign that is scheduled to continue till June, 2018.
As part of the campaign, the Danish company in partnership with the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh (DAB) and Padma Textiles organised a total of 150 rallies across the country.
The largest rally was organised in front of the national museum in the capital and joined by the country’s top healthcare professionals, adults and kids living with diabetes and Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, the changing diabetes® brand ambassador.
With this year’s theme ‘women and diabetes’, Novo Nordisk will conduct screening on 15,000 pregnant women and train 5,000 healthcare professionals including 2,000 gynecologists regarding the risk of diabetes and modern treatment options.
The insulin maker also organised a motivational programme for children living with diabetes at changing diabetes® in children clinic under the BIRDEM-2 hospital, the world’s largest clinic for children living with diabetes.
DAB President AK Azad Khan said awareness and education are the main catalysts for controlling and preventing diabetes.
“Our ultimate aim is to create awareness on diabetes and promote early diagnosis to ensure that more people can live a life free of complications,” said Anand Shetty, Managing Director of Novo Nordisk.
Cricketing icon Mashrafe said, “To start a good innings in life, act today and change the future of diabetes. Say YES to quality medicine and insulin to live a happy and complication-free life.”
A total of 6.9 million people are living with diabetes in Bangladesh this year, according to International Diabetes Federation.