The World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded the alarm over the rapidly escalating diabetes crisis in Africa, urging countries to act decisively to prevent millions of avoidable deaths and disabilities.
In a message marking World Diabetes Day 2025, with the theme, “Diabetes Across Life Stages,” Dr. Mohamed Janabi, WHO regional director for Africa, warned that the continent is facing an unprecedented rise in diabetes driven by changing lifestyles and limited access to preventive care.
“Africa is facing an unprecedented rise in diabetes,” said Dr. Janabi.
“The scale and speed of this trend demand urgent and sustained action.”
According to him, more than 24 million adults aged 20 to 79 in the African Region are currently living with diabetes — a number projected to more than double to 60 million by 2050.
He expressed concern that nearly half remain undiagnosed, putting them at risk of severe complications including heart disease, kidney failure and vision loss.
“Unless reversed, this trajectory will overwhelm health systems, strain economies and erode hard-won development gains,” Dr. Janabi cautioned.
WHO, he disclosed, is supporting countries to expand access to quality diabetes care through the Package of Essential Noncommunicable (PEN) Disease Interventions, now in 31 countries, and PEN-Plus, active in 20. Nations such as Ghana and Uganda are integrating diabetes and cardiovascular care into primary health services.
“We can prevent progression to full-blown diabetes if we detect it at the insulin-resistance stage,” Dr. Janabi noted. “Regular exercise, healthy eating and appropriate medication can make living with diabetes far more manageable.”
Calling for stronger health systems, sustained financing, and access to affordable insulin, Dr. Janabi urged collective responsibility.
“Working together, we can remove the barriers that keep people from care and create environments that enable healthy living,” he said.
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