Diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes, is rising at an alarming rate globally, but the situation in sub-Saharan Africa is especially concerning.
Researchers warn that millions more people in the region could be affected in the coming decades, with recent studies highlighting that the disease is spreading far faster than previously anticipated.
The Scope of the Crisis
Diabetes is a condition where the body struggles to convert food into energy due to insufficient insulin production or ineffective insulin use. This leads to high blood sugar levels and can result in severe complications such as heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, and amputations.
In 2021, the International Diabetes Federation estimated that 24 million adults in sub-Saharan Africa were living with diabetes.
By 2045, projections suggested this number would rise to over 50 million (6% of the population).
However, a new study published in The Lancet suggests the actual percentage could nearly double these estimates.
Key Drivers of Diabetes in Sub-Saharan Africa
The study tracked over 10,000 participants across South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, and Burkina Faso for seven years—between 2013 and 2022- and identified several drivers of the diabetes epidemic:
- Urbanisation: Rapid urbanization has led to increased consumption of processed foods and sedentary lifestyles.
- Peri-Urban Areas: Living on city outskirts often means reduced access to healthcare and reliance on calorie-dense diets.
- Obesity and Physical Inactivity: These factors are becoming increasingly prevalent across the region.
- Healthcare Access: Limited healthcare infrastructure exacerbates underdiagnosis and late-stage treatment.
“In South Africa and East Africa, females exhibited a higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes compared with males at both time points. Conversely, in West Africa, the prevalence was higher among males than females, a pattern consistent across both visits,” reads part of the findings.
“The baseline type 2 diabetes prevalence was higher at the South African and Kenyan centres than at both of the West African centres (appendix pp 8–9). The incidence of type 2 diabetes was significantly higher in peri-urban centres (23∙9, 95% CI 20∙5–27∙9) compared with urban centres (19∙7, 17∙4–22∙4), and both periurban and urban centres had higher incidences than rural centres (5∙5, 4∙4–6∙9).”
Dr. Raylton Chikwati from the University of Witwatersrand noted that peri-urban areas face unique challenges due to reduced healthcare access and dietary shifts. Similarly, Palwende Boua from Burkina Faso emphasized the importance of long-term studies for understanding diseases like diabetes in Africa.
The Path Forward
Managing diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa requires urgent action:
- Policy Interventions: Governments must prioritize diabetes prevention through policies promoting healthy diets and physical activity.
- Healthcare Infrastructure: Improved access to diagnostic tools and treatment is essential.
- Community Awareness: Public campaigns encouraging blood sugar testing can help detect diabetes early.
“Our findings have major implications for public health, with a doubling of type 2 diabetes prevalence during our study period in all centres. Targeted interventions are urgently needed in sub-Saharan Africa to address type 2 diabetes risk factors and reduce its incidence, while health-care systems must be restructured to identify and manage individuals with type 2 diabetes and ameliorate its social and economic impact,” part of the study says.
The diabetes epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa is a multifaceted challenge fueled by urbanization, lifestyle changes, and inadequate healthcare access. With projections indicating a sharp rise in cases over the next two decades, immediate action is needed to address this growing public health crisis.