The National Press Club in Islamabad hosted a large health fair and awareness walk marking World Diabetes Day, organised jointly by the Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists, the National Press Club and the Pakistan National Heart Association in collaboration with Heartfile, Pakistan Youth Change Advocates and the Center for Peace and Development Initiatives. The event was held under the patronage of PANA president Major General Masood Rehman Kiani and Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists president Afzal Butt, with strong support from RIUJ president Tariq Ali Wark and National Press Club president Azhar Jatoi.
Federal Minister for Information Atta Tarar attended as the guest of honour and welcomed the initiative. More than 400 journalists and their families received free checkups, diagnostic tests and medicines at the fair, while medical teams provided on-site consultations across multiple specialties. Senior doctors in cardiology, oncology, obstetrics and gynecology, paediatrics, dermatology, psychiatry, ophthalmology and urology volunteered their services to support early detection and prevention efforts linked to diabetes and other non-communicable diseases.
Health experts at the event stressed that Diabetes Awareness must be matched by urgent policy action. They cited national trends showing a dramatic rise in cases from about 6.3 million in 2011 to roughly 33 million in 2021, with another one million individuals at early-stage risk. Experts warned that Pakistan now ranks among countries with the highest diabetes prevalence, where around one in three adults is affected, and that the disease and its complications cause nearly 1,100 deaths daily. Without effective interventions they cautioned that numbers could climb to some 70 million by 2050.
Speakers highlighted unhealthy diets as a major driver of diabetes and other NCDs and urged the government to adopt evidence-based public health policies. Demonstrators at the walk carried placards calling for higher taxation on ultra processed products, enforcement of front of pack warning labels to help consumers identify high sugar, salt and unhealthy fat content, and an immediate ban on partially hydrogenated oils which are a primary source of industrial trans fats. Experts emphasised that sweetened beverages are the leading source of dietary sugar in Pakistan, that liquid sugar disrupts metabolism and adds unnecessary calories, and that regular consumption can raise the risk of type 2 diabetes by up to 30 percent. They argued that fiscal measures such as taxation can significantly reduce this risk.
During the health fair the National Press Club also hosted online podcast discussions featuring representatives from PANA, Heartfile, CPDI and PYCA along with sector experts, focusing on the health impacts of ultra processed products and practical policy responses to reduce their use. The fair aimed to promote early diagnosis, prevention and healthier lifestyles through screening, counselling and community engagement.
At the close of the event, organisers recognised the contribution of doctors, paramedics and pharmaceutical representatives by presenting certificates of appreciation to those who served at the health fair, reinforcing the collaborative effort required to strengthen Diabetes Awareness and public health protections in Pakistan.
