Doctors highlight when weight becomes a health risk

Many patients delay seeking help for weight-related health problems because they see weight as a private matter rather than a medical risk, doctors warned during specialist clinics held on 17 and 18 June 2026 at the Aga Khan Hospital, Dar es Salaam. The clinics featured Dr Syed Tanseer Asghar, a bariatric, laparoscopic and general surgeon, and Dr Sana Sharafat Ali, recognised as Pakistan’s first female vascular surgeon. “When weight is linked to diabetes, high blood pressure, poor sleep, reflux, joint pain or difficulty walking, it needs proper medical assessment,” said Dr Tanseer. The hospital’s Comprehensive Obesity Clinic, launched in May 2026, offers medically supervised care for such patients.