Says figure to rise to 60m by 2050

Over 24 million adults, aged between 20 and 79, are living with diabetes in Africa, and the number is projected to increase to 60 million by 2050, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

About 12 million, representing half of the number, remain undiagnosed, silently facing escalating risks of severe complications, disability and premature death.

WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, who disclosed this in a message to mark the 2025 World Diabetes Day yesterday in Abuja, stated 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 noted that the scale and speed of the trend demand urgent and sustained action. Janabi observed that over time, diabetes could damage the heart, kidneys, eyes and nerves, profoundly affecting individuals, families and communities, adding that unless reversed, this trajectory would overwhelm health systems, strain economies and erode hard-won development gains.

He emphasised that health systems must therefore be resilient, adequately resourced and organised to deliver continuous care, from prevention and early diagnosis to effective treatment and life-long support.

“This year, we mark World Diabetes Day under the theme ‘Diabetes Across Life Stages’. Diabetes spares no one. It affects children, adolescents, adults and older people, with each life stage presenting distinct challenges that require tailored responses.

The theme recognises that prevention and care must extend across the entire life course”. Janabi recalled that in 2024, African member states endorsed the Framework for the Implementation of the Global Diabetes Compact in Africa, reaffirming their commitment to equitable and comprehensive care. Guided by this framework, countries such as Ghana and Uganda are integrating diabetes and cardiovascular services into primary health care.

He noted that the WHO was supporting countries in adapting and implementing frameworks for prevention and control, adding that the WHO PEN package, now operational in 31 countries, and PEN-Plus, implemented in 20 countries, were expanding access to cost-effective, quality care for chronic diseases at the primary care level.

Janabi emphasised the need to translate commitment into results, stressing that countries must strengthen governance, increase financing for non-communicable disease services, and integrate diabetes prevention and treatment into national health and primary care plans.