Diabetes is a chronic, metabolic disease characterized by elevated levels of blood glucose (or blood sugar), which leads over time to serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves. The most common form, type 2 diabetes, occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin or fails to produce enough insulin, and its prevalence has risen sharply in all income levels over the past three decades. Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune condition, results in the pancreas producing little or no insulin, requiring lifelong insulin therapy. Access to affordable treatment, including insulin, is essential for survival, yet many individuals face barriers to diagnosis, care, and long-term management. Despite a global target to halt the rise in diabetes and obesity by 2025, progress remains insufficient.
In the WHO African Region, an estimated 54 million adults (aged 18 and above) had diabetes in 2022, with over half of them undiagnosed and untreated, leaving more than 34 million people without essential care. The number of both diagnosed and untreated cases continues to increase, further straining healthcare systems. Inadequate access to treatment leads to preventable complications, including heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, amputations, and blindness. Key risk factors including physical inactivity, obesity, unhealthy diets, and tobacco use; must be addressed through stronger prevention strategies, early diagnosis, expanded access to treatment, and health system strengthening to curb the growing diabetes crisis in Africa.