Indonesians unaware of diabetes

JAKARTA: A recent study by a European group has shown that most Indonesians were unaware of the danger of diabetes mellitus (DM), and thus need more information about the ailment and how to treat those affected.

Conducted by the Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, the data revealed that only 2 percent of Indonesians with diabetes receive proper treatment.

"Cost and fear of injections are the main reasons that keep people with diabetes from getting treatment," the study concluded.

The data on the number of people with diabetes varies widely.

An estimated 2.55 million Indonesians are suffering from DM, according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), which predicted the number would double by 2025.

The Indonesian Association of Endocrinologists (Perkeni) reported that approximately 2.5 percent of the Indonesian population, or 5.5 million people, were suffering from diabetes, while the Indonesian Diabetes Association (Persadia) puts the number at nearly 6 percent (13 million people).

To help people with diabetes overcome the fear of injections, Novo Nordiska has introduced an insulin diabetes pen, which is much easier to use than the standard syringe because it allows easy selection of the necessary dosage of insulin. -- JP