Three in four Africans with diabetes unaware of their condition
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Business Day Nigeria
The World Health Organisation estimates that 24.6 million adults live with diabetes in its African Region, three in four of them unaware of their condition. The number could reach 59.5 million by 2050, while Regional Director Mohamed Janabi is calling for stronger early screening and access to care, according to the WHO.
Three out of four people with diabetes in the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) African Region are unaware that they have the disease, Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa, warned. He gave this estimate on the occasion of World Diabetes Day 2026, observed on 14 November, Business Day Nigeria reports.
In 2024, about 24.6 million adults aged 20 to 79 were living with diabetes in the region, according to the WHO estimate cited by Janabi. The number could reach 59.5 million by 2050. The organisation estimates that the proportion of undiagnosed people is the highest in the world there, increasing the risk of kidney failure, blindness, cardiovascular disease and amputations.
Janabi called on governments, health professionals and communities to strengthen screening and access to affordable care. He also urged people showing signs such as increased thirst, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss, persistent fatigue or blurred vision to seek medical advice quickly. As diabetes can develop without obvious symptoms, he also recommends screening people at risk.
The WHO supports African countries in strengthening diabetes care services in primary healthcare, notably through its programmes on non-communicable diseases and cardiovascular care. The organisation also recommends tackling stigma and providing patient-centred support.
