Eminent professors of neurology spoke at length about 'neuropathic pain' and the need to address this especially in patients suffering from diabetes. Professor Shaukat Ali, head of the department of Neurology at Jinnah Post-Graduate Medical Centre (JPMC) emphasised on creating awareness amongst healthcare professionals for the diagnosis of neuropathic pain in diabetic patients.

He said that there has been a constant rise in the number of diabetics and most of these patients suffer from neuropathic pain; Professor Shaukat is also the President of the Pakistan Neurology Society. He was addressing a select number of audience invited by Pfizer Pakistan at an event organised for the launch of one of its related medicine, in Karachi.

Also speaking at the event was Associate Professor of Neurology at Agha Khan University Hospital, Dr Muhammad Wasay, who recently received the Neurology Award for Advocacy. He said that neuropathic pain is the most common problem in diabetics and talked about the significant rise in the number of diabetes patients in Pakistan from 2.7 million, according to the National Health Survey conducted in 1998, to around 4 million at present.-PR

Copyright Business Recorder, 2010