Costs of controlling an epidemic

Introduced in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organisation in response to growing concerns about the escalating health threat as diabetes is taking the shape of an imminent epidemic, World Diabetes Day (WDD) is observed every year on November 14. The day engages millions of people worldwide in diabetes advocacy and awareness. World Diabetes Day became an official United Nations Day in 2006 with the passage of United Nation Resolution 61/225 proposed by Bangladesh. Bangladesh Diabetic Samity (BADAS) backed government of Bangladesh to become instrumental in campaigning for the issues of diabetes and keep diabetes firmly under public spotlight. The WDD logo was also adopted in 2006 to mark the passage of the United Nations World Diabetes Day Resolution. The logo is the blue circle - the global symbol for diabetes which was developed as part of the 'Unite for Diabetes' awareness campaign. The significance of the blue circle symbol is overwhelmingly positive, portraying the unity of the global diabetic community against the diabetes pandemic. Across cultures, the circle symbolizes life and health. The colour blue reflects the sky that unites all nations and is the colour of the United Nations flag.  
The day is observed on November 14 to mark the birthday of Frederick Banting who, along with Charles Best, first conceived of the idea which led to the discovery of insulin in 1921. WDD is observed worldwide by over 200 member associations of the International Diabetes Federation in more than 160 countries and territories, all member states of the United Nations, as well as by other associations and organizations, companies, healthcare professionals and people living with diabetes and their families.
Each year World Diabetes Day is centred on a theme related to diabetes. Topics covered in the past included diabetes and human rights, diabetes and lifestyle, and the costs of diabetes. This year is the third of a three-year campaign that will address the growing need for diabetes education and prevention programmes. The campaign slogan for 2016 is 'Eyes on Diabetes'.  The year's activities and materials will focus on promoting the importance of screening early diagnosis of type 2 diabetes requiring treatment to reduce the risk of serious complications.
Diabetes, a group of metabolic diseases, is clinically known as Diabetes mellitus (DM), in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced. Glucose is vital for human health because it is the main source of energy for the cells that make up body muscles and tissues and is therefore the main source of fuel for the body. This high blood sugar produces the classical symptoms, i.e., frequent urination, increased thirst and increased hunger. If anyone has diabetes, no matter what the type is, it means he/she has too much glucose in his/her blood, although the reasons thereof may differ and too much glucose can lead to serious health problems.
There are three main types of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes  results from the body's failure to produce insulin, and presently requires the person to inject insulin.  Type 2 Diabetes: results from insulin, a condition in which cells fail to use insulin properly, sometimes combined with an absolute insulin deficiency. Gestational diabetes: is when pregnant women, who have never had diabetes before, have a high blood glucose level during pregnancy. It may precede development of type 2 DM. All forms of diabetes have been treatable since insulin became available in 1921, and type 2 diabetes may be controlled with medications. Both type 1 and 2 are  chronic conditions that usually cannot be cured. Pancreas transplants have been tried with limited success in type 1 DM; gastric bypass surgery has been successful in many with morbid obesity and type 2 DM Adequate treatment of diabetes is thus important, as well as blood pressure control and lifestyle factors such as smoking cessation and maintaining a healthy body weight.
THE BANGLADESH SCENARIO: The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) estimated that 8.7 million or 4.9 per cent of people living in Bangladesh had diabetes in 2014 and by 2025 the number is expected to increase to 9.2 million or 6.1 per cent of the population. This explosion in diabetes prevalence will place Bangladesh among the top ten countries living with diabetes in 2025. By that time 80 per cent of all diabetes cases will be in low-and-middle income countries.
The increase in diabetes in Bangladesh is expected to follow global gender patterns, whereby more women than men will live with diabetes. IDF and WHO predict that the number of women in the world with diabetes will double in less than 20 years. In Bangladesh the number of women with diabetes will grow from the current 2 million to 4 million by 2025. During the same period, men with diabetes will rise from 1.8 million to 3.4 million. Recent empirical studies show that the urban population with diabetes in Bangladesh is expected to rise dramatically over the next 20 years. This is due to a combination of urbanization and migration from rural to urban areas, observed Professor AK Azad Khan, President of the Bangladesh Diabetic Samity (BADAS), while talking to 'Unite for Diabetes' reporter Kerrita McClaughlyn on November 17, 2006. He said that, 'people all over the world, especially in developing countries, have the impression that diabetes is a disease of the rich. That is NOT the case. Diabetes is rising faster in developing countries like Bangladesh. There are many reasons for the increase, but a key reason is that lifestyles are changing faster in developing countries. This change is related to urbanization and globalization. You can not stop it, it is part of civilization. What is of concern is that with increased urbanization people are getting less physical exercise. Even if they want to do physical exercise, there is lesser space to do that. Workplaces, schools and colleges have few or no facilities for physical activity.'
Dr. Muhammad Abdul Mazid, former Secretary to the GoB, is Chief Coordinator, Diabetic Association of Bangladesh.
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