Islamabad, 14 November 2026 — President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have called for collective efforts to prevent and control diabetes through early screening, timely diagnosis and healthy lifestyles, in separate messages on World Diabetes Day, observed today.
This year’s theme for World Diabetes Day is “Early Action on Diabetes”, highlighting the importance of detecting the disease at an early stage and acting before complications develop. The theme reflects the message that acting early — through screening, diagnosis and lifestyle changes — can prevent the disease and its complications.
World Diabetes Day is marked around the world to draw attention to a disease that affects hundreds of millions of people and often goes undetected until serious damage has been done. Health experts say the day is an opportunity to remind people that diabetes can be prevented and managed with early action.
The President said estimates by the International Diabetes Federation indicate that 34.5 million adults in Pakistan were living with diabetes in 2024, with more than one-quarter of them undiagnosed. He said the scale of the problem makes early detection and prevention a national priority.
Healthy lifestyles urged
President Zardari urged citizens to adopt healthy lifestyles, reduce sugar consumption, undertake regular physical activity and undergo timely medical screening. He said that simple changes in daily habits can protect people from the disease and from the serious health problems it can cause.
He called upon federal and provincial governments, healthcare professionals, educational institutions and the media to launch coordinated public awareness campaigns, particularly in rural and remote areas where access to health information and medical facilities is limited.
PM stresses early screening
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said diabetes is emerging as a serious public health concern in Pakistan. He stressed that early screening and timely medical intervention are essential to prevent complications from the disease.
The Prime Minister said that tackling diabetes requires joint action by the government, the health sector and the public, with awareness and prevention at the centre of the effort.
World Diabetes Day is observed every year on 14 November to raise global awareness of diabetes, its prevention and its treatment, and to encourage people to get tested and adopt healthier lifestyles.
