A diabetologist and consultant endocrinologist, Prof. Olufemi Fasanmade, has said that over 55,000 Nigerians are estimated to have died from diabetes in 2024. He shared this alarming statistics during a virtual media roundtable on diabetes hosted by Novo Nordisk, a global pharmaceutical company.
Fasanmade, affiliated with the College of Medicine and Lagos University Teaching Hospital in Idi-Araba, Lagos, noted that the number of diabetes-related deaths has steadily increased over the years, with 48,375 deaths reported in 2021, around 50,000 in 2022, and approximately 53,000 in 2023.
He highlighted that Nigeria is home to about four million of the 24 million people living with diabetes in Africa. He warned that the continent is expected to see the highest rise in diabetes cases over the next two decades.
Describing diabetes as an escalating global health issue, he revealed that the healthcare costs associated with diabetes have reached approximately $1 billion, marking a 300% increase over the past 15 years.
A study indicated that the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria has the highest prevalence of diabetes, followed by the North-East, South-West, and the North-West, which has the lowest rates.
Prof. Fasanmade emphasised that Type 2 Diabetes constitutes 90% of all diabetes cases and identified several risk factors, including family history, obesity, poor diet, lack of physical activity, and age.
He also warned against the dangers of using unapproved or substandard medications, which can lead to uncontrolled blood sugar levels, emergency hospitalisations, complications, adverse reactions, and even death.
To mitigate these risks, he urged Nigerians to purchase diabetes medications solely from suppliers approved by the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), ensure that the packaging includes NAFDAC registration numbers, and report any suspected adverse effects.”
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