P akistan is facing a diabetes emergency that demands urgent and sustained action.
According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Diabetes Atlas 2025, approximately 34.5 million adults aged 20-79 years in Pakistan were living with diabetes in 2024, representing an age-standardised prevalence of 31.4%. Alarmingly, this number is projected to rise to 70.2 million by 2050. These figures are not merely statistics; they represent millions of individuals and families at risk of preventable complications,disability and premature mortality.
The National Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinology (NIDE), Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), Karachi, is working towards this vision through specialised clinics, multidisciplinary care, research, education and community outreach. Three important areas of its clinical services deserve particular attention: diabetic foot care, Type 1 diabetes and gestational diabetes.
Saving Limbs: The Diabetic Foot Clinic Diabetic foot disease is one of the mostdisabling complications of diabetes and a major cause of preventable lower-limb amputations. NIDE’s dedicated Diabetic Foot Clinic provides specialised assessment and management of patients with diabetic foot complications, with an emphasis on wound care, infection prevention, patient education and early intervention. The objective is simple but vital: save limbs, prevent disability and improve quality of life.
People living with diabetes must be encouraged to examine their feet daily and seek medical advice even for seemingly minor wounds.Supporting Children Living with Type 1 Diabetes For a child with Type 1 diabetes, insulin is not optional; it is essential for survival. Lifelong insulin therapy, glucose monitoring, nutritional planning and family education are fundamental to managing this condition.
Financial constraints and limited access to insulin and monitoring supplies make the journey particularly challenging for many Pakistani families. NIDE’s dedicated Type 1 Diabetes Clinic provides continuing care for children and their families, including insulin management, glucose monitor-ing, nutrition counselling and education on preventing hypoglycaemia and other complications. Through collaborative initiatives and partnerships, efforts are also directed towards improving access to essential diabetes supplies.
Protecting Two Generations: The Gestational Diabetes Clinic Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) affects women during pregnancy and can have consequences extending well beyond childbirth. Poorly controlled GDM increases the risk of complications for both mother and baby and places women at greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life.
NIDE’s dedicated GDM Clinic provides screening, diagnosis, glucose monitoring, dietary counselling and medical management during pregnan-cy. Equally important is postpartum screening and long-term follow-up to identify women at risk and prevent future diabetes.
A Commitment Beyond Awareness At NIDE, diabetes care is not limited to prescribing medicines or monitoring blood glucose. It is about preventing amputations, protecting children, safeguarding maternal health and empowering individuals and families through education.
This World Diabetes Day, let us move from awareness to action. Diabetes is a lifelong condition, but its complications are not inevitable. With timely intervention, equitable access to treatment and a strong healthcare system, we can change the future of diabetes in Pakistan.