Promoting care in underserved communities: launching World Diabetes Day in Karachi

According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), Pakistan had 6.2 million people with diabetes in 2003. By 2025 this number is expected to reach 11.6 million. Another 6 million or more people currently suffer from impaired glucose tolerance. This makes the diabetes population in Pakistan the seventh largest in the world and, if the predictions are accurate, it will take fourth place by 2025. In Pakistan, deaths from diabetes alone are projected to increase by 51% over the next 10 years. These figures make diabetes an epidemic – one which places an enormous burden on our healthcare systems and societies.