The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that more than 24 million adults in Nigeria and other African countries are currently living with diabetes, and half of the cases are undiagnosed.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti disclosed this Thursday in a statement commemorating the 2024 World Diabetes Day with the theme: "Breaking Barriers, Bridging Gaps".
World Diabetes Day is marked annually by the international community on 14 November to raise awareness about the disease.
Diabetes is a chronic lifelong disease that leads to uncontrolled blood sugar levels arising from the failure of the body to produce or use the insulin it produces efficiently.
According to recent reviews and meta-analyses by the International Diabetes Foundation (IDF), as of 2021, over 3.6 million people in Nigeria were diabetic, with 53 percent of the cases undiagnosed. This number is expected to rise to about five million by 2030.
The cost of treating diabetes per person has surged from an average of N60,000 in 2011 to N800,000 in 2021, and it is projected to exceed N1,000,000 by 2030, the analysis revealed.
Dr. Moeti expressed concerns that when left untreated, diabetes can lead to complications such as heart disease, stroke, nerve damage, kidney failure, lower-limb amputation, and eye disease that can result in blindness.
She said without urgent interventions, predictions are that the number of people living with diabetes in the Africa will rise to 54 million by 2045, describing it as the highest projected increase globally.
"In the WHO African Region alone, more than 24 million adults are currently living with diabetes, half of whom remain undiagnosed. Without urgent interventions, predictions are that the number of people living with diabetes in the African Region will rise to 54 million by 2045," she stated.
This poses a significant dual health and economic burden, including catastrophic spending by individuals to control their disease, she lamented.
Moeti further stressed that managing diabetes requires a sustained effort to balance physical health activity, healthy diet, mental well-being, highlighting that comprehensive prevention strategies are crucial to address risk factors including obesity, poor diet and physical activity through community engagement to ensure good support systems and reduced stigma.
She, therefore, urged all relevant stakeholders to join hands and act immediately, while calling on individuals to prioritise healthy lifestyle. "If you are already living with diabetes, have regular medical check-ups," she advised.
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She expressed WHO's commitment to fully support government in its efforts to implement policies that enhance access to essential medicines, strengthen primary health care systems and invest in diabetes prevention and care.
"Strengthening diabetes control in the African region demands that we address key gaps, including myths and misconceptions about diabetes, fragile primary health care systems and insufficient capacity and training of health care workers," she stated.
