A professor of endocrinology and expert in the diagnosis and management of diabetes at the College of Medicine and Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Professor Olufemi Fasanmade yesterday called for urgent intervention by both the Federal and state governments on the control of diabetes in the country in view of its alarming spread and the inability of Nigerians living with it to control the condition.
Speaking at a virtual Media Roundtable Meeting organized in Lagos by a Multinational pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk as part of its activities to mark the World Diabetes Day, marked globally on November 14, Professor Fasanmade said diabetes is on the increase in Nigeria and Africa in general. He disclosed that no fewer than four million people are living with it in the country, a figure that is more than the population of Bayelsa or Ekiti states.
"This is a conservative estimate. Many of my colleagues and myself believe that the number of people living with diabetes in this country is much higher than this. It is believed that in the next two decades that the number will double. In 2021 it is believed that diabetes took away the lives of 48,375 people (in Nigerian), in 2022, if we project, probably 50,000 people died in 2023, probably 52,000 to 53,000 and in 2024, I'm sure more than 54,000 have succumbed.
Fasanmade quoted studies showing that the South-South geo political zone is most affected by diabetes followed by the North East zone with North West recording the lowest number of cases.
Unfortunately, he said, abbot 94 per cent of Nigerians living with diabetes are not able to control the condition resulting in many of them suffering from complications such as kidney failure, blindness, cardiovascular diseases among others and "overwhelming hospital admissions."
He also revealed that many Nigerians living with diabetes do not even know they have the condition as less than half are diagnosed. Even for those that are diagnosed, only about 25 per cent are receiving treatment while 12 per cent of these could not even achieve optimal blood sugar control.
He commended the Federal government for waiving import duties on antidiabetics though, he said, it is not confirmed yet if this has taken effect but urged that government's efforts should be intensified as fast as possible. For instance, he said the government should include diabetes management in the Health Insurance Scheme to help reduce the current heavy burden on patients, saying there is a great need to bring down the cost of drugs.
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He also urged people living with diabetes not to be discouraged by the current high cost of medications and stop treatment saying they should work with their healthcare providers to see how they can still manage the condition effectively.
The Endocrinologist also called on the public not to discriminate or stigmatise people living with diabetes but be informed on how to control the condition or how families could prevent it through healthy lifestyles.
