
Diabetes in Nigeria Set to Rise as Report Shows Increased Risk
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Currently, about 3.6 million Nigerian adults (between 10-79 years) and a total of 4,400 children and adolescents (from 0 to 19 years) are living with diabetes.
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According to Novo Nordisk, a leading global healthcare company, the number of diabetes in Nigeria will experience a 134% increase by 2025.
- To avoid the increase in diabetes in Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Health is collaborating with the health company to allow affordability and increase access to treatment.
Diabetes is one of the emerging diseases affecting Nigerian citizens. Currently, Nigeria has a record of 3.6 million adult citizens (from 20-79 years) living with the disease condition. Additionally, a total of about 4,440 Nigerian children and adolescents are diabetics.
Medical experts at Novo Nordisk, a global healthcare company have expressed concerns over the rising levels of this disease. They theorise that based on the level of increase of this disease, the number of people living with diabetes in Nigeria would face a 134% increase by 2025.
According to the World Health Organization, diabetes is a chronic disease that is characterized by high levels of glucose (or sugar) in the blood which could, over time, seriously damage your heart, and blood vessels (arteries, veins, and capillaries), kidneys and nerves. It occurs when the body is unable to produce sufficient amounts of a hormone called insulin or when it doesn’t respond to this hormone.
Insulin helps to reduce the level of sugar in the blood.
Although diabetes is a disease the nation has long been battling, the health sector has not been able to defeat it. This inability was attributed to two obvious reasons.
- The high cost of drugs used to treat diabetes.
- The lack of access to these drugs by patients in need of treatment.
To promote the affordability of diabetes therapy, the Federal Ministry of Health signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Novo Nordisk. It is expected that this agreement will help reduce the cost of diabetes treatment and allow access to medications for the condition.
Based on this agreement, diabetics would be provided with affordable treatment options for diabetes. Additionally, the initiative will train Health Care Providers who can effectively manage the condition.
The initiative is targeted at making diabetes therapy affordable and accessible to all, including the retired and elderly, people who have limited income and health insurance, and even vulnerable children.
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The Programme aims at reaching 12,000 patients with affordable insulin through 100 implementing facilities while building the capacity of 450 Health Care Providers by 2023. The program will also reach 2,400 children as well as train 380 Health Care Providers by 2025.
Asides from Novo Nordisk and the Federal Ministry of Health, other stakeholders involved in this initiative include the Royal Danish Embassy and World Wide Commercial Ventures Limited.
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