DRU Organises Diabetes Testing and Free Cervical Cancer Screening Camp
The Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) organised a diabetes testing and free cervical cancer screening camp to promote the health and well-being of its members and their families. The camp began at 8:00am on Wednesday (November 11) at the DRU premises. Free cervical cancer screening for female members, wives of members and their daughters started at 10:00am. The camp was formally inaugurated, followed by an open discussion, at 11:30am.
The programme was chaired by DRU President Abu Saleh Akon and moderated by General Secretary Mainul Hasan Sohel. Professor Dr Farid Uddin, president of the Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and Diabetologists of Bangladesh (ACEDB), attended as the chief guest.
Professor Dr Md Habibullah Talukder Ruskin, project coordinator of ACEDB and Gonoshasthaya Community-Based Cancer Hospital, was present as a special guest. Other attendees included Professor Dr Indrajit Prasad, Dr Mazharul Islam Sohel, Dr Sohel Khan, Dr MA Halim Khan, Dr Nurul Amin Dipu, Dr Md Jahangir Alam, Dr Faruk Hossain, Dr Tahmina Ferdousi, Dr Faisal Ahmed and Dr Khairul Islam, along with other physicians and guests.
Speakers highlighted the importance of raising public awareness about diabetes ahead of World Diabetes Day on November 14. They said journalists could play an important role in spreading awareness and bringing healthcare services closer to the public. Such initiatives also help people become more aware of health risks and support early disease detection.
They said the number of people living with diabetes worldwide was around 500 million and could exceed 600 million by 2030. In Bangladesh, diabetes prevalence was around 2% in the 1970s. Today, the rate in Dhaka alone is nearly 12%, while another 10% of the population is estimated to have prediabetes.
Recent studies indicate that diabetes prevalence in rural areas is also around 5–8%. The rate of gestational diabetes in Bangladesh is significantly higher than in developed countries. Speakers warned that diabetes cases would continue to rise due to increasing obesity among younger generations and their reluctance to engage in physical activity. They cautioned that the growing burden of diabetes could pose a serious challenge to the country’s economic stability.
More than 200 journalists and members of the public, including DRU members and their family members, attended the camp to receive healthcare services. DRU Vice-President Mehdi Azad Masum, Entertainment Secretary Aminul Haque Bhuiyan, Welfare Secretary Rafiq Mridha and Executive Committee Members Mahfuz Sadi and Sumon Chowdhury were also present, along with other members of the organisation.
