Lack of public education on the issue means that only 30% of sufferers are aware that they actually have the disease, that quickly becomes life threatening if left untreated increases the risk of stroke, kidney failure and heart attack. Combined with the high prevalence of smoking in China, the effects on public health could be disastrous.
“Diabetes in China has become a catastrophe,” said Paul Zimmet, honorary president of the International Diabetes Federation and director emeritus of the BakerIDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne. “The booming economy in China has brought with it a medical problem which could bankrupt the health system. The big question is the capacity in China to deal with a health problem of such magnitude.”
Figures released today suggest that almost one in three Chinese, 11.6% of the population, suffers from the disease, compared to only 1% of the population in 1980. Poor medical guidance for pregnant mothers, and a dearth of nutritional advice from a medical industry mired in corruption hasn't helped the situation, leading nearly half the population having higher than normal blood sugar levels.
The only good news for money-hungry officials is that the epidemic has given rise to a healthy 20% increase year-on-year in profits for drug makers.
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