According to the report of the International Diabetes Federation, around 1 crore 31 lakh people are suffering from diabetes in Bangladesh.
Retinal damage is present in about 33% of its patients. Many patients have vision loss and eventually go permanently blind if they are not treated at the right time, reads a press release.
The number of patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) is also increasing due to the growing population and rising number of diabetic patients.
Additionally, the number of people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is rising. Patients, families, and society all face an adverse impact due to this growing burden.
Although there are few options for this disease's therapy, it is not widely accessible. However, permanent blindness can be averted with the right care. Roche, a Swiss biotech company, has invented a breakthrough therapy that will make treating people with this condition easier.
Bangladesh Vitreo-Retina Society and Roche Bangladesh jointly organized a scientific symposium on this new discovery and treatment methods for patients with DME last Friday at the Westin Hotel in Dhaka.
More than half a hundred renowned ophthalmologists from the country participated in this conference. The keynote speech at the conference was delivered by Professor Dr Rishi Paul Singh, a staff physician at Cleveland Clinic in Florida, United States.
For individuals with DME and AMD, he discussed treatment options, recently developed medications and scientific data. Additionally, Dr Niaz Abdur Rahman, Consultant Vitreo-Retinal Surgeon at Bangladesh Eye Hospital and President of the Bangladesh Vitreo-Retinal Society, delivered a presentation on DME and AMD treatment in Bangladesh.
Dr Niaz Abdur Rahman said: “The number of patients coming to us with DME and AMD is increasing. It is possible to protect these patients from permanent blindness. But to make its treatment accessible, everyone needs to work together, especially the government needs to initiate special initiatives.”
A welcome speech was delivered on the occasion by Dr Tariq Reza Ali, Associate Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and Secretary General of the Bangladesh Vitreo-Retinal Society and Ophthalmological Society of Bangladesh.
In his welcome speech, he emphasized the Vitreo-Retinal Society's efforts to ensure the care of DME patients in Bangladesh.
In the concluding speech, Dr Mohammad Afroz Jalil, Managing Director of Roche Bangladesh said: 'The contribution of the experts in reducing the rate of blindness in Bangladesh is undeniable. This progress must be sustained if the Sustainable Development Goals are to be achieved, so prevention and appropriate screening programs must be strengthened to meet the future burden of DME.”
