KUCHING: Malaysia has the highest rate of diabetes in Asia and one of the highest in the world, said National Diabetes Institute (Nadi) executive chairman Datuk Dr Mustaffa Embong.
He said about 2.5 million Malaysians aged 18 and above have the disease.
“(In addition, our records) suggest that almost half of Malaysians do not know that they have diabetes.
“Most of the time, (sufferers of) Type 2 diabetes (show) no symptoms at all until they develop a heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, go blind or (need to have a limb) amputated,” Dr Mustaffa said.
Hence the reason why diabetes is called a “silent killer,” he added.
Dr Mustaffa was speaking on the sidelines of the 10th Diabetes Complications Conference and Grand Rounds (DCOM 2018) here yesterday.
“(At) this conference, various medical aspects and new treatments for people with diabetes will be presented,” he said.
A total of 11 diabetologists from the United States, Europe, Australia and Asia will present topics to about 200 medical practitioners during the two-day conference. -- Bernama