Letter
September 11, 2025
The diabetes crisis is becoming one of Pakistan’s most serious health emergencies. A huge population of Pakistanis are struggling with diabetes, mostly the type 2 variety. Experts warn that around 2.5m people live with diabetic foot in Pakistan, a condition which leads to severe ulcers or amputations, while million more face the disease’s far-reaching consequences: heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, blindness and disability.
Pakistani adults rank third globally in the adult diabetes prevalence rate and face a projected increase to potentially 70 million patients by 2050.
Infections caused by multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria are worsening the diabetic foot crisis in Pakistan, driving up treatment costs, leaving patients with fewer therapeutic options and pushing amputation rates to alarming levels.
Diabetes is relentless but it is not inevitable. It can be prevented by choosing balanced meals over sugary indulgences, making space for physical activity and refusing to ignore early symptoms. Pakistan needs a national diabetes control plan that funds preventive screening and trains healthcare providers to catch the disease early. If we do not act now, we will see a generation of diabetic patients.
Noorsaba Jahan
Jamak, Kech