World Diabetes Day today:

Series of events to raise awareness

Nadira Gunatilleke

The Diabetes Association of Sri Lanka (DASL) has organised several events to mark United Nations' inaugural World Diabetes Day which falls today under the theme of `Diabetes in Children and Adolescents'.

The DASL National Diabetes Centre (NDC) headquarters has made arrangements to raise awareness on diabetes among the public by distributing promotional material, displaying awareness raising banners and pennants. Arrangements have also been made to light up the Colombo Town Hall and the Galle Face Hotel in blue, the colour of sky that unites all nations.

A trishaw parade carrying awareness messages will take place on six routes leading to Galle Face Green.

The NDC offers several special services to mark the day. The DASL provides clinical services, direct and indirect education, community awareness and research.

Diabetes is now classified as pandemic. In Sri Lanka over 2.1 million of all ages are affected with this illness, which is more than 10.2 per cent of Sri Lanka's population involving both sexes in the urban (16 per cent) and rural (8.6 per cent) communities.

This is alarming as it represents the present and the future workforce of our country.

According to reports there are nearly 250 million diabetics worldwide which is expected to increase to 380 million by 2025. It is now affecting the youth.

November 14 is the birthday of Frederick Banting who along with Charles Best discovered insulin. It is reported that every minute six persons die and 12 develop diabetes.