The inaugural Trebinje Diabetes Forum emphasised that early diagnosis and personalised care are vital in preventing organ damage from diabetes, as healthcare professionals and patients came together for free tests, expert talks, and the latest management strategies.
The first Trebinje Diabetes Forum ended with a clear message: the condition is increasingly common, but it does not have to lead inexorably to organ damage if it is detected early and managed properly. Held under the slogan “Diabetes under Control”, the three-day gathering brought together patients, families, healthcare workers and medical students for free examinations, consultations and specialist talks in the eastern Bosnian city.
Organised by the Trebinje Association of Diabetics and Other Interested Persons, the forum was designed to narrow the gap between major medical centres and smaller communities. Association president Nada Bijedić said the idea grew out of years spent attending diabetes events for health professionals across the region and a belief that patients in smaller towns also deserve direct access to experts who can answer questions, explain treatment options and reinforce the value of prevention.
Among those speaking at the central session was Petar Đurić, a nephrologist and internist from KBC Zvezdara in Belgrade, who warned that diabetes can quietly damage the kidneys long before symptoms appear. He said the best defence starts with lifestyle and diet changes, but added that newer drug groups introduced over the past decade can also help slow kidney failure and reduce cardiovascular risk. Đurić stressed that routine checks such as blood creatinine and albumin in a morning urine sample are essential because kidney disease often develops without pain.
Goran Topić, acting director of the Republic of Srpska Dialysis and Transplantation Institute, also underlined the importance of regular screening, saying preventive medicine is the best way to avoid wider consequences. He noted that diabetic patients are especially vulnerable to kidney complications and that the disease itself is often found too late when people skip check-ups. That warning fits with broader medical guidance: recent reviews in specialist journals have found that continuous glucose monitoring can help improve glycaemic control and detect hypoglycaemia in people with chronic kidney disease, although much of the published evidence remains observational.
Throughout the forum, visitors were offered what organisers called a “personal diabetes record”, a package of free measurements and advice that included glucose and HbA1c tests, blood pressure, height, weight, body mass index, waist circumference, cardiovascular risk assessment, foot checks and one-to-one counselling. The programme also highlighted newer diabetes technologies, including education on continuous glucose monitoring, reflecting a wider shift towards closer, more personalised disease management.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
