JEDDAH: A survey of pilgrims over 50 years of age has found that a large portion of them are suffering from diabetes.
Sami Hammadi, professor of clinical pharmacology at Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah, revealed the findings of the survey during a presentation on the occasion of World Diabetes Day today.
“The results of the survey showed that 40 percent of this group were diabetic and that the majority of them were from the Gulf countries,” said Hammadi. “We need to create greater awareness; we have to preach the public because what we tell them is not what they practice at home.”
Ahmad Aalam, head of the organizing committee of the World Diabetes Day at Umm Al-Qura, said that their event targets medical personnel of both genders who deal with diabetics.
It is estimated that 80 percent of the 246 million diabetic people around the world live in developing countries. Almost 30 percent of the Saudis are diabetic.
