The World Health Organization (WHO) has revealed that 18.3% of COVID-19 deaths in the African region are among people with diabetes, one of the conditions that global studies have found to increase the risk of severe illness and death among patients infected with the virus.

1. Nearly1 in5 COVID-19deathsin the Africanregionlinkedtodiabetes
Brazzaville –The World HealthOrganization(WHO) findsthat18.3% of COVID-19deathsinthe
Africanregionare amongpeople withdiabetes,one of the conditionsthatglobal studies have found
to increase the riskof severe illnessanddeathamongpatientsinfectedwiththe virus.
The WHO analysisof 14 Africancountries,whichprovidedinformationonCOVID-19and
comorbidities,showedthatthe riskof complicationsordeathfromCOVID-19amongpeople with
diabetesincreaseswithage,withpeopleaged60 yearsand above facinggreaterrisks.
Diabetesisamajor cause of blindness,kidneyfailure,heartattacks,stroke andlowerlimb
amputation,butwithearlydiagnosisandtreatment, manyof the harmful effectsof the disease can
be delayedorevenavoided.The disease occurseitherwhenthe pancreasdoesnotproduce enough
insulin[type 1diabetes] orwhenthe bodycannoteffectivelyuse the insulinitproduces[type2
diabetes].The more commonistype 2diabetes.
Overthe past three decades,the occurrence of type 2 diabeteshasrisendramaticallyinall countries
aroundthe world.The AfricanRegionhasexperiencedasix-foldincrease,from4millioncasesin
1980 to 25 millionin 2014. With around60% of people livingwithdiabetesundiagnosed,the African
regionhasthe highestproportionof people unawareof theirstatus.A studyinKenyafoundthat
60% of people diagnosedwiththe chronicconditionwere notonmedication.
“Far too manypeople are inthe dark as to whethertheyhave diabetes.Peoplewiththischronic
conditionsufferadouble blowif theyare alsoinfectedwithCOVID-19,”saidDr MatshidisoMoeti,
WHO Regional DirectorforAfrica.“We must turnthisaround byinvestinginearlydetection,
preventionandtreatmentof diabetes.”
At the onsetandthe peakmonthsof the COVID-19 pandemic,healthservicesfordiabeteswere
particularlydisrupted.Onlyaboutathirdof reportingcountriesinaWHO surveyof 41 countriesin
sub-SaharanAfricaindicatedthatserviceswere fullyfunctional.
“We mustnot lose sightof otherhealthchallengesaswe combatCOVID-19.WorldDiabetesDayis a
keymomenttocall attentiontothischronicillness,whichisincreasinglythreateningthe livesof
Africans,”Dr Moeti said.
WorldDiabetesDayismarkedon 14 Novembereveryyear.
In manyAfricancountries,accesstobasic equipmentfordiagnosisandmonitoringof diabetesisa
challenge,especiallyinpublicandremote healthfacilities.There are alsolimitedsuppliesof insulin

2. and oral hypoglycaemicmedicinesfordiabetesonthe continent,while healthworkersare not
sufficientlytrainedindiabetesdiagnosisandcare for patients.
The Africanregionisalsowitnessingarise in diabetesriskfactorssuchasobesity.Increasingly
sedentarylifestyle andconsumingfoodsrichinsugar,fatsand saltis heighteningobesity,ranging
from2.5% of adultsinBurundi to 26.9 % in Seychelles.
WHO is workingwithcountriestotrainmore nursesandotherhealthworkersandto expandaccess
to diabetespreventionandcare servicesthroughthe WHOPackage of Essential Noncommunicable
Disease InterventionsforPrimaryHealthCare inLow-Resource Settings.Twenty-five countrieshave
adoptedthe package and are workingto decentralize andimprove earlydiabetesdetectionand
patientcare.