Hosne Ara, 43 went to a private hospital in the city with stomach pain and, at one point, when the doctors asked if she had diabetes, she responded negatively but had a test done.
The results stunned everyone as the sugar level was 33. Shocked at the result, the doctors felt that the machine was not working and so asked another test and this time it was confirmed that Hosne Ara had diabetes.
As per doctors, 50 percent people carry diabetes without knowing it and this is happening since regular tests are not done. Diabetes is rising as people are not checking regularly, are averse to physical exercise and eat wrong.
As per WHO, the number of diabetes patients in 1980 was 110 million which has comet to 170 million in 2000 and by 2030 it may be 340 million. Specialists say that it may cross 550 million by 2030.
International Diabetes Foundation said that of the diabetics, 80 percent are in middle and low income countries.
In Bangladesh, 1 person in every ten is affected by diabetes; in Bangladesh, there are 9 million people with the number rising every year.
Assistant professor of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dr Indrajit Prasad, says: “There are four types of diabetes in the country, type 1, 2, diabetes from other diseases and pregnancy time diabetes.”
Half the people with the condition do not know if they have diabetes or not which results in complications later on, said Dr Indrajit, adding: “We advise check up every three years though the time is reduced when a person is at risk.”
President of Bangladesh Diabetes Samity, Professor Dr A K Azad, said: “One person in two in the country do not know that s/he is suffering from diabetes; our biggest problem is that we do not want to go to a doctor unless we are sick.”