The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the number of people living with diabetes in the African region could more than double by 2045 if urgent interventions are not implemented.
In a message to mark World Diabetes Day 2024, WHO Regional Director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti said more than 24 million adults in the region are currently living with diabetes, half of whom remain undiagnosed. .
Ms Moeti noted that without urgent interventions, this figure is projected to rise to 54 million by 2045, making it the highest projected increase globally.
“This poses a significant health and economic burden, including catastrophic expenditure by people to manage their disease,” he said.
Compounding the challenge, he explained, is the extremely low rate of investment in diabetes care in Africa, which accounts for just one percent of the region's health spending.
Ms Moeti noted that health systems in Africa are traditionally structured to address acute infectious diseases, leaving chronic diseases such as diabetes under-resourced.
“Managing diabetes requires a sustained effort to balance physical activity, healthy diet and mental well-being,” he said.
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Ms Moeti added that comprehensive prevention strategies are equally crucial and address risk factors such as obesity, poor diet and physical inactivity.
He highlighted the importance of community involvement in creating support systems and reducing stigma around diabetes.
Chronic illness
Diabetes is a chronic, lifelong disease that causes uncontrolled blood sugar levels because the body can no longer produce or use the insulin it produces efficiently.
It is considered one of the deadliest non-communicable diseases in the world.
The number of adults living with diabetes worldwide has surpassed 800 million, more than quadrupling since 1990, according to new data published in The Lancet on World Diabetes Day.
If left untreated, diabetes can lead to complications such as heart disease, stroke, nerve damage, kidney failure, lower limb amputation, and eye diseases that can lead to blindness.
In 2021, diabetes and related kidney diseases caused more than two million deaths, according to the WHO. High blood glucose levels were also responsible for about 11 percent of cardiovascular deaths.
World Diabetes Day
World Diabetes Day, celebrated annually on November 14, provides an opportunity to highlight diabetes as a major global public health problem and emphasize the collective and individual actions needed to improve its prevention, diagnosis and management.
The theme of World Diabetes Day 2024, “Breaking barriers, closing gaps”, highlights the importance of removing barriers to ensure equitable access to care for all people affected by diabetes.
Moeti said the issue underlines WHO's commitment to reducing risk and ensuring that all people diagnosed with diabetes have access to equitable, comprehensive, affordable and quality treatment and care.
“In a context of increasing prevalence of diabetes in Africa, complicated by multiple factors including urbanization, unhealthy diets and physical inactivity, the theme appropriately emphasizes the imperative of a collaborative approach to this “silent killer.”
Address diabetes
Ms Moeti emphasized that strengthening diabetes control in the African region requires addressing critical gaps, including widespread myths and misconceptions about the disease, weak primary health care systems, and limited capacity and training of health care workers. health.
He urged individuals, communities, governments, health workers, policymakers and civil society organizations to come together and act now.
He said: “Together, let us all commit to breaking down barriers and addressing gaps, raising awareness, spreading knowledge and creating lasting change for all people in Africa affected by diabetes.”
He said communities can play their role by creating supportive environments that promote healthy living, reduce stigma and provide access to affordable diabetes care and education.
“We pledge all our support to governments in their efforts to implement policies that improve access to essential medicines, strengthen primary health care systems and encourage investment in diabetes prevention and care.”