By Ojoma Akor
The number of adults aged between 20 and 79 living with diabetes in the WHO African region is. projected to more than double, to 60 million, by 2050, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said.
The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, disclosed this in his statement to mark this year’s World Diabetes Day. The theme of this year’s commemoration is “Diabetes Across Life Stages”.
He said, “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.”
He said, unless reversed, this trajectory will overwhelm health systems, strain economies, and erode hard-won development gains.
He said that over time, diabetes can damage the heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves, profoundly affecting individuals, families, and communities.
Dr Janabi highlighted that Africa is 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 added that the scale and speed of this trend demand urgent and sustained action.
He explained that diabetes spares no one and that it affects children, adolescents, adults, and older people, with each life stage presenting distinct challenges that require tailored responses.
” The theme recognizes that prevention and care must extend across the entire life course,” he said.
The WHO regional director said health systems must therefore be resilient, adequately resourced, and organized to deliver continuous care, from prevention and early diagnosis to effective treatment and lifelong support.
He stated that in 2024, African Member States endorsed the Framework for the Implementation of the Global 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 said.
He said that WHO continues to support countries in adapting and implementing these frameworks for prevention and control. ‘”The WHO PEN package, now operational in 31 countries, and PEN-Plus, implemented in 20 countries, are expanding access to cost-effective, quality care for chronic diseases at the primary care level. Sustained financing, reliable supply chains, and stronger referral and data systems are vital to maintain momentum and equity.
“As I often say, we can prevent progression to full-blown diabetes, with vascular complications, if we detect it at the insulin-resistance stage. We have a window of up to 15 years to control diabetes. Regular exercise, healthy eating, and appropriate medication can slow progression and make living with diabetes far more manageable,” he added.
This year’s campaign highlights one unifying goal: empowering people living with diabetes to live well, at every stage of life.
Dr Janabi said , “Above all, we must guarantee consistent access to affordable medicines such as insulin, essential technologies, mental health support, and the tools people need to manage their condition with dignity. Governments, health workers, civil society, communities, and individuals all share responsibility for changing the course of diabetes in Africa. Working together, we can remove the barriers that keep people from care and create environments that enable healthy living. On this World Diabetes Day, let us reaffirm our determination to deliver effective care and lasting support at every stage of life – so that every person with diabetes can live a healthy, dignified, and fulfilling life.”
