Islamabad:An estimated 26,000 children and teenagers develop Type 1 diabetes in Pakistan every year but 13,000 or nearly half of them do not survive, health experts warned on December 15, saying that delayed diagnosis and the unavailability of life saving insulin are costing hundreds of young lives across the country.
They said around a quarter of these children with Type 1 diabetes die before their condition is even diagnosed, while the remaining deaths occur because families are unable to afford or access insulin, which Type 1 diabetes patients require daily for survival.
They warned that poor awareness among parents and even frontline doctors means many children are only diagnosed after collapsing or slipping into a coma. These concerns were highlighted at an awareness ceremony on Type 1 diabetes where an agreement was signed between Meethi Zindagi, a non-profit working with insulin dependent patients, and the Discovering Diabetes Project to improve early detection, data collection and access to treatment for children with the disease.
Dr Sana Ajmal, founder and chief executive of Meethi Zindagi, said Type 1 diabetes is widely misunderstood in Pakistan and is often confused with Type 2 diabetes, which typically affects adults.
“Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s own defence system destroys insulin producing cells in the pancreas,” she explained. “Once this happens, a child or teenager becomes dependent on insulin for the rest of their life. Without insulin, they simply cannot survive.”
Dr Ajmal, who is herself living with Type 1 diabetes, said lack of awareness was the biggest reason behind preventable deaths. She said most children remain undiagnosed until they collapse, as parents and even doctors often fail to recognise early warning signs.
She said extreme tiredness, rapid weight loss, excessive thirst and frequent urination are the four key symptoms of Type 1 diabetes and urged parents to immediately consult senior paediatric endocrinologists or diabetologists if these signs appear.
Early diagnosis and timely insulin, she said, can save lives. Dr Ajmal said Meethi Zindagi is currently providing free insulin to around 1,200 children across nearly 150 cities and towns with support from philanthropists, corporate donors and pharmaceutical companies, as most families cannot afford lifelong insulin therapy.
However, she said charitable efforts alone are not enough. With nearly 26,000 new cases emerging every year and an estimated 150,000 children living with Type 1 diabetes nationwide, many remain at serious risk due to late diagnosis and lack of sustained insulin access.
The gravity of the crisis was highlighted by two mothers who shared their experiences, saying their daughters were diagnosed only after collapsing and slipping into coma. Both said earlier consultations failed to detect the disease due to lack of awareness.
Under the MoU, Meethi Zindagi and the Discovering Diabetes Project will collaborate to identify undiagnosed patients, collect data and connect needy children with treatment and insulin support.
The agreement was signed by Dr Sana Ajmal and Mohsin Shiraz, project manager of the Discovering Diabetes initiative. Mohsin Shiraz said it has been running a digital diabetes awareness chatbot, Diabot, for the past five years, helping hundreds of thousands of people with Type 2 diabetes.
He said recent interactions with undiagnosed Type 1 diabetes patients led to the collaboration. Through the partnership, he said, data on Type 1 diabetes will be collected while Meethi Zindagi will be supported in insulin provision, clinician training and parental awareness to promote early diagnosis and timely treatment.
Published in The NEWS on December 16, 2025.
