The recent alarm by the World Health Organisation, WHO, on the African leaders not to be complacent in the fight against diabetes, which it described as a silent killer in Africa, is seen as a wake up call for Nigerians, particularly those in the health sector.
The WHO’s Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, in a message to commemorate the 2024 World Diabetes Day, said records indicated rising diabetes prevalence in Africa, complicated by multiple drivers, including urbanisation, unhealthy diets and physical inactivity, among others.
She expressed fear that the number of people living with diabetes in Africa could likely rise to 54 million in 2045, the highest projected increase globally, if urgent actions were not taken to mitigate it.
She noted that in Africa, more than 24 million adults are currently living with diabetes, half of whom remained undiagnosed.
“Against a background of the rising diabetes prevalence in Africa, complicated by multiple drivers, including urbanisation, unhealthy diets and physical inactivity, the theme appropriately emphasises the imperative of a collaborative approach to this ‘silent killer.’