Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Patients suffering from celiac disease in Pakistan face various challenges as there is lack of awareness about it.

Gluten free products that are available in super markets are too expensive and are out of reach of masses. The comparison of gluten and gluten free products is 200 to 300 difference in price, which is really expensive for the patients to have gluten free products easily in their diet.

There is a dearth of gluten free cookies as well as only four brands are available in the market which includes Schar, Gullon, Farm House and M&S. This challenge limits the gluten free choices for its regular consumers as strict gluten free diet is the only cure of celiac disease.

The cheapest price of gluten-free crisps in the market is Rs 75 per small packet. Gluten free bread of Schar costs Rs 500, which is so costly for only 11 small slices of bread. This comparison in cost and quantity of gluten free products limits the available options.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that attacks the villi of intestines when gluten is digested by a person. Celiac disease is common in 1 in 100 people but most of the people live their whole life without proper diagnosis as this disease has common symptoms to other diseases like irritable bowel syndrome, fluctuating levels of thyroid, type 1 diabetes, osteoporosis and migraine, etc. There are approximately more than 200 symptoms of celiac disease so it is really difficult to diagnose this autoimmune disease. People suffer from six-10 years to get proper diagnosis.

The individuals who have celiac disease have to avoid the above mentioned grains and also take care especially of cross contamination. Cross contamination is when gluten comes in contact with utensils that are previously used for gluten items.

It is demanded from the government to control prices of gluten free products and not impose tax on gluten free products in order to make them affordable. There is shortage of available options of products as only a few gluten free brands are imported from Europe.

The writer is a researcher and a student of MPhil majoring in Peace & Conflict Studies from the National Defense University

Published in Daily Times, December 1^st 2018.