The Japanese aid agency, Jica, has helped Bangladesh prepare guidelines for diabetes care.
The Diabetic Association of Bangladesh (BADAS) has provided technical support to the government’s directorate general for health services in this regard, said a press release on Wednesday.
The “National Guideline on Diabetes Mellitus” was launched on August 6 to help doctors choose standard treatment modalities.
According to the WHO, diabetes is a chronic disease, which occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces.
This leads to an increased concentration of glucose in the blood which is called hyperglycaemia.
Diabetes is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke and lower limb amputation. It affects both children and adults.
Children mostly get the Type 1 diabetes which was previously known as insulin-dependent, juvenile or childhood diabetes. It is characterized by deficient insulin production and requires daily administration of insulin.
A healthy diet, regular physical activity, maintaining a normal body weight and avoiding tobacco use are ways to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes that affects how the body uses sugar (glucose) for energy. It stops the body from using insulin properly, which can lead to high levels of blood sugar if not treated, according to the WHO.
With 13.1 million people having diabetes, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) ranks Bangladesh the 8th in the world.
“Thus, Jica understands that Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), including diabetes, have become a growing public health concern across Bangladesh and provided technical support in establishing the National Guideline on Diabetes Mellitus,” said the press release.
Jica Senior Representative Komori Takashi said they were pleased to provide technical support to establish the guideline in Bangladesh.
“We hope the guideline will help healthcare professionals and ensure high-quality healthcare services, improving patient outcomes and quality of life. We all want to strengthen the healthcare system of Bangladesh,” Takashi said.
Jica’s technical cooperation project for “Strengthening Health Care Systems for Organizing Communities” (previously known as SHASTO) closely worked with the government for that.
“We are also looking forward to launching The Project to Strengthen Healthcare Systems for Preventing Non-communicable Diseases which will be known as SHASTO2 this month. It will be part of our continuous alliance with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,” said the Jica representative.
President Diabetic Association of Bangladesh Prof Dr. AK Azad Khan, President of the International Diabetes Federation Prof Dr. Akhtar Hussain, Vice Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Prof Dr. Md. Sharfuddin Ahmed, and Line Director of the Non-Communicable Disease Control Program of the government Prof Dr. Mohammad Robed Amin were also present at the event.