The Diabetes Association of Nigeria says no fewer than 11.2 million Nigerians are presently living with the disease.
Dr Alkali Mohammed, President of the association, revealed this on Monday in Abuja at an event to commemorate the 2023 World Diabetes Day (WDD).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the WDD is a day set aside by the UN to draw public attention to the need for action to fight the menace of diabetes.
It is a day also designed celebrated to raise awareness about the disease as a global public health issue and what needed to be done collectively and individually to manage of the condition or prevent itHet itHe added that it had been projected that the figure could increase to 737 million by 2040 if nothing was done to curb the disease.
Mohammed, however, advocated for increased tax on Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSBs) product from 10 per cent to 20, noting that the tax would improve the health culture and environment by discouraging the consumption of sugary products.Accordingng to him, diabetes is under-reported and some people are living with the disease without knowing they have it, so the number we have today may be more because some people don’t know they are living with the disease.
“An event like this is an eye opener for policy makers to do the needful and increase awareness on what we eat, drink, and to reduce the burden of NCDs, especially diabetes which has a lot to do with our lifestyles.
“We want proper implementation of policy, proper usage of the tax deduction from SSBs product for betterment of the lives of diabetic patients,” he said.
NAN further reports that NASR coalition is a group of health organisations advocating for policy to curtail the consumption of SSBs linked to non-communicable diseases like type 2 diabetes, cancer, and hypertension.
