KARACHI:Four veteran diabetologists and endocrinologists of the country were conferred upon ‘Lifetime Achievement Awards’ at an award distribution ceremony on Sunday, who have spent their entire life for the prevention, management and treatment of diabetes as well as other endocrinal disorders in Pakistan.
In addition to lifetime achievement awards, ‘Star Awards’ were also given to eight other leading diabetologists and endocrinologists from various public and private health institutions for their services in controlling the menace of diabetes, prevention of lifestyle condition and introducing new techniques and treatments to deal with various complications of the endocrine diseases.
Organized in connection with World Diabetes Day 2020, the award distribution ceremony, titled ‘Legends in Diabetes’ was organized by a local pharmaceutical firm here at a local hotel in Karachi to recognize the untiring services and contribution by around a dozen leading health experts in creating awareness about diabetes among common people as well as general practitioners and family physicians.
The recipients of lifetime achievement awards were Prof Dr Naeemul Haque, who is considered as ‘father of diabetes treatment and management’ in Pakistan, Prof Dr. Ejaz Vohra, Prof Emrita Tasnim Ahsan and Prof Dr Najmul Islam.
On the other hands, experts who were awarded ‘Start Awards’ included Prof Dr Zaman Shaikh, Prof Dr Yaqoob Ahmedani, Dr Zahid Miyan, Dr Asma Ahmed, Prof Dr Karim Kammeruddin, Dr Zaki Alvi, Dr Yousuf Kamal and Dr Saif-ul-Haq.
Speaking on the occasion, eminent diabetologist of the country Prof Naeemul Haque said it was the right time to prevent younger generation, especially children from becoming obese and developing diabetes early in their lives, saying nowadays children only consider video games as games and sports, which should be a serious cause of concern for our policy makers.
“Video games and junk food like pizzas and burgers are destroying our nation. In the words of late Prof. Abdus Samad Shera, they are weapons of mass destruction, which are destroying ours and various other nations of the world. We need to simplify our lives and encourage our children to play physical games to become a physically and mentally healthy nation,” Prof Naeemul Haque added.
Asking people to ‘walk away from diabetes’, he maintained that spending at least 45 to one hour on physical activities must be part of everybody’s daily routine and added that people need to give sometime for their health and well-being instead of taking pills and medicines for their entire lives.
Prof Emrita Dr Tasnim Ahsan said contrary to our beliefs, eating is not an entertainment and advised Pakistani people to eat less and spend more time on healthy physical activities like walking, jogging, sporting and doing yoga at their abodes.
“We also need to reduce or get rid of fast food and carbonated beverages. We must promote the drinking of plain water and our traditional beverages without salt and sugar. There should be family events and contests on physical activities instead of gatherings which are just meant to eat and feed others with extremely unhealthy food”, she added.
Other recipients of the lifetime achievement and star awards expressed their gratitude for recognition of their services by the local pharmaceutical firm Pharmevo and said they were humbled to receive the awards, especially in the era of COVID-19 pandemic when several senior health experts have lost their lives due to Coronavirus infection.
Lauding the services of the pharmaceutical firm, they said it was promoting literary activities instead of arranging leisure trips for the doctors, which was evident from publishing books, arranging book fairs, bringing out thematic calendars and Mushairas on regular basis.
The director marketing of the pharmaceutical firm Pharmevo, which organized the awards, said it was an honour to host such a galaxy of legendary diabetologists and endocrinologists who had spent their lives for the awareness and prevention of diabetes. Senior sales manager pharmevo Abrar Ahmed also spoke on the occasion.