On World Diabetes Day
World diabetes day is marked every year on 14 November, the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who co-discovered insulin along with Charles Best in 1922. It was first created in 1991 by the International Diabetes Foundation (IDF) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) to draw global attention to diabetes, a chronic disease that occurs either […]
World diabetes day is marked every year on 14 November, the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who co-discovered insulin along with Charles Best in 1922. It was first created in 1991 by the International Diabetes Foundation (IDF) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) to draw global attention to diabetes, a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces.
According to WHO, the theme of this year’s World Diabetes Day, ‘Diabetes across life stages,’ recognizes that every person living with diabetes should have access to integrated care, supportive environments and policies that promote health, dignity and self-management. This campaign emphasizes the importance of a life-course approach to diabetes prevention, management and overall well-being.
Globally, about 589 million people, nearly one out of every 10 adults, currently have diabetes, and the prevalence is rising rapidly.
In a message to mark World Diabetes Day 2025, WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Mohamed Janabi, warned that Africa was facing an unprecedented rise in diabetes, driven by a complex interplay of changing lifestyles, rising overweight and obesity, and limited access to preventive and primary health services.
He said the scale and speed of this trend demanded urgent and sustained action. “In the WHO African Region, more than 24 million adults aged between 20 and 79 are living with diabetes. This number is projected to more than double, to 60 million, by 2050. Nearly half remain undiagnosed, silently facing escalating risks of severe complications, disability and premature death. Over time, diabetes can damage the heart, kidneys, eyes and nerves, profoundly affecting individuals, families and communities.’’
The above statement painted a dire consequences of our failure to act. There is indeed, a fear that unless this is urgently reversed, it will overwhelm health systems, strain economies and erode hard-won development gains.
In Nigeria, the National President of the Diabetes Association of Nigeria, Prof Ejiofor Ugwu, said about 11.4 million Nigerians are currently living with diabetes. He disclosed that only a third of those diagnosed receive appropriate treatment, and only about a third of those on treatment achieve good control.
Because there is no known cure yet for diabetes, it is imperative for all relevant authorities and civil groups to intensify public awareness about the causes of the ailment and the necessary preventive measures the public should take. Similarly those already diagnosed to be diabetic, should be enlightened on how the condition can be properly managed and at the same time live a normal life.
Thus the Federal Ministry of Health and its counterparts in the states and the federal capital territory should mount enlightenment campaign about the risk factors associated with diabetes. Public health institutions should display easy to understand instructional material in accessible areas as a means of disseminating information about such risk factors, the treatment of the disease etc.
Daily Trust urges the government to support our local research centres so as to produce the drugs and other testing kits. This will bring down the cost of the imported drugs and testing kits. Furthermore our primary health care centres should be equipped and encouraged to make diabetes screening part of the routine screening for whoever visits the health centres.
Early diagnosis is also very important for all types of diabetes as this can save lives, prevent a medical emergency and reduce the risk of life-changing complications later.
We wish to remind the federal government that there is Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2022 with Novo Nordisk on the iCARE initiative in Nigeria, part of the government’s commitment to make life meaningful to Nigerians living with Diabetes. The iCARE initiative seeks to provide holistic Diabetes care and safeguard insulin to two most vulnerable groups in Nigeria- children living with type 1 diabetes and senior/retirees living with diabetes who have limited income for diabetes care.
Daily Trust urges the government to revive the initiative so that millions with diabetes will benefit from it.
We also advise Nigerians to go for regular medical checkups for early diagnosis, ensure strict adherence to medical advice which would help in managing the disease and further reduce all the risks associated with it.
Today serves as a call to all Nigerians to get informed about diabetes and its symptoms, get tested, and get treatment. As we know, only a nation with a healthy population can prosper
A stitch in time saves nine.