Zanzibar — ZANZIBAR President Dr Hussein Mwinyi has underlined the central role of government in creating enabling policy environments, ensuring sustainable financing and strengthening partnerships in the fight against diabetes in the country.
"We must invest in prevention, early diagnosis and continuous care, while also supporting research and local production of essential medicines, including insulin," President Mwinyi stressed.
Dr Mwinyi made the remarks yesterday in a speech read on his behalf by the Second Vice-President, Mr Hemed Suleiman Abdullah, during the opening of the International Conference on Addressing Challenges and Barriers to Insulin Access and Supply (ACCISS), held in Zanzibar.
More than 2.9 million Tanzanians are currently living with diabetes and at least 10,000 of them rely on daily insulin injections to stay alive and maintain healthy lives.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
The President said these figures highlight a growing public health challenge facing the country and the wider region.
He noted that the scale of diabetes and the rising demand for insulin underscore the need for coordinated regional and global action, supported by strong health systems and sustainable supply mechanisms.
"Insulin is a life-saving medicine for people living with diabetes. Yet, despite its proven effectiveness, access remains unequal, particularly in low- and middle-income countries," Dr Mwinyi said.
According to the President, Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar currently operate more than 170 diabetes clinics, serving 7,607 children living with Type 1 diabetes.
Of these, 7,134 are on the mainland and 473 in Zanzibar. He said the broad participation of stakeholders at the conference was clear evidence that diabetes is not a challenge for one sector or one country alone, but a global public health issue requiring solidarity, collaboration and joint decision making.
Speaking at the conference, Zanzibar's Acting Minister for Health, Dr Saada Mkuya Salum, stressed that access to life-saving medicines such as insulin should no longer be viewed as a luxury, but as a basic human right.
She said Zanzibar's 2050 Sustainable Development Vision aims to increase life expectancy from 65 years in 2019 to 75 years by 2050, while reducing deaths caused by non-communicable diseases (NCDs) from 4.9 per cent to 2.2 per cent.
"Achieving these targets requires a strong health system, including the timely availability of quality insulin across all communities," she said.
Dr Saada outlined common challenges affecting insulin access in many African countries, including high costs, unstable supply chains especially in rural areas heavy dependence on imports from Europe, shortages of specialists and limited public awareness of early diabetes symptoms.
She said these challenges clearly point to the need for regional and international solutions in line with the African Union Agenda 2063.
Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr Mngereza Mzee Miraji, said insulin has been saving lives for more than a century, yet it remains out of reach for millions in low- and middle-income countries.
He cited national data showing that the number of people living with diabetes in Tanzania rose from 680,445 in 2021 to 863,741 in 2025 an increase of nearly 27 per cent in just five years according to the District Health Information System (DHIS2). Globally, he said, more than 1.7 million people are living with diabetes, with about 1.3 million cases undiagnosed, while 6,247 deaths recorded in 2020 were directly linked to the disease.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative Dr Alphoncina Nanai commended Tanzania's efforts in combating non-communicable diseases, particularly diabetes, and reaffirmed the organisation's commitment to supporting national and regional initiatives.
Similarly, Dr Adelard Kakunze, WHO Africa's Chief Technical Officer for NCDs, injuries and mental health, urged countries to move from policy discussions to concrete action, stressing the urgency of making insulin affordable and readily available to all who need it.
The three-day conference has brought together delegates from 15 Eastern African countries, including health experts, researchers, policymakers, development partners, diplomats and people living with diabetes, to share experiences and develop practical, sustainable solutions for improving insulin access and overall diabetes care.
