November 13: Diabetes is one of the emerging non-communicable diseases in Bhutan. According to a medical report there are close to 1,500 diabetic patients in Thimphu alone.

According to a medical specialist, Dr. Ballab Sharma, diabetes is a disease which is mainly caused due to the growing prevalence of obesity and unhealthy lifestyle.

One of the main factors of the increasing number in diabetes is due to fatty Bhutanese food.

“The most important thing for the people is to follow the 3Ds. First D is the diet, people should follow a strict diet and the 2nd D is the discipline that the people should follow. Exercise is must for everyone. The last D is that the people should follow drugs when all the measures fail,” said the specialist.

Diabetes is said to be one of the most expensive diseases to be treated once you get it. Health officials said Diabetes can cause many other related diseases like kidney failure and cardiac failures.

“Increase in thirst, increase in urination, loss in weight despite eating and if you get a non healing ulcer that means you are suffering from diabetes,” said the specialist.

Many deaths occur ever year due to complications from diabetes. In order to prevent it from becoming a major public health problem various awareness programmes have been carried out to address it.

One such programme is to observe the World Diabetes Day tomorrow.