SINGAPORE - Jamiyah Singapore is joining in the fight against diabetes by launching a poster in four languages that raises awareness on the condition.

The organisation, which is also known as the Muslim Missionary Society Singapore, launched the posters at a War on Diabetes forum, held at Jamiyah's Aljunied premises on Saturday.

Presidential hopeful Halimah Yacob, along with Dr Darren Chen, a family physician; Adjunct Associate Professor Dr V.S. Selvan, a senior consultant at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital; and Dr Saiful Nizam Subari, a designated workplace doctor, were part of a panel who discussed how to control and combat diabetes.

The forum was organised by Jamiyah as a follow-up to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's call last month (August) for Singaporeans to choose healthier options and eat less to ward off diabetes.

Mr Lee talked about the importance of choosing healthier eating options, such as brown rice instead of white rice, as one way for Singaporeans to combat diabetes.

Saturday's event was attended by various religious and racial groups, grassroots organisations and social service organisations, including the Hindu Endowment board, the Mahakaruna Buddhist Society, and various community clubs.

Singapore has one of the highest incidences of diabetes among developed countries, second only to the United States. Among adults aged 18 to 69, 11 per cent are diabetic. In 1998, it was 9 per cent.

The Straits Times reported in August that an estimated 450,000 adults in Singapore have diabetes, an illness that is a major risk factor for other serious medical problems such as heart attacks, stroke, blindness, gangrene resulting in amputations, and kidney failure requiring either a transplant or lifelong dialysis.