KARACHI - In continuation of its mission to support initiatives that benefit the community and healthcare system, Getz Pharma has joined hands with the National Association of Diabetes Educator Pakistan (NADEP)-Baqai Institute of Diabetology and Endocrinology (BIDE). Under this partnership, informative workshops will be organised for healthcare providers to improve their clinical skills in treating diabetic foot ulcers among patients.
Jumman Khan, Chief Commercial Officer-Pakistan Business, Getz Pharma, and Dr Zahid Miyan, Consultant Diabetologist/Endocrinologist from BIDE-NADEP, signed the MoU at Getz Pharma’s head office in Karachi. Both organizations showed commitment to reducing the diabetes burden in the population through this initiative.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Jumman Khan said, “Our initiatives include proactively funding leading charitable and government-run hospitals to upgrade medical facilities, participating in screening and awareness camps and sessions on prevalent diseases; sponsoring annual reports and advertisements of charitable health organizations to increase awareness about their positive work, and providing lifesaving medicines at subsidized rates or free of cost to these organizations.”
Dr Zahid Miyan, on behalf of NADEP-BIDE, ensured that the institute faculty shall deliver workshops under their project ‘Save Limbs’ to train and educate healthcare professionals regarding foot diseases and appreciated Getz Pharma for sponsoring this academic initiative to prevent unnecessary amputations due to diabetic foot. He also shared findings from the 10th edition of the IDF Diabetes Atlas 2021, according to which one in four adults (26.7%) in Pakistan are living with diabetes – the highest national prevalence in the world. Pakistan now has the third highest number of people living with diabetes (33 million) in the world, after China (141 million), and India (74 million). An additional 11 million adults in Pakistan have Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT), which places them at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
50% of people living with diabetes are uncontrolled, which are leading them to high-risk diabetes complications. Foot ulcers are a major cause of morbidity and hospitalization in patients with diabetes. Studies show that the prevalence of diabetic foot ulceration is between 4% and 10% in Pakistan and the amputation rate following foot ulceration is 8–21%.