NCDs: Diabetes treatment increasing burden in East Africa

The cost of treating diabetes in East Africa, including Tanzania and Kenya, would increase from 3.8 billion dollars in 2015 to 16.2 billion dollars in 2030, a new report said on Tuesday.

The report by experts on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) had predicted that in sub-Saharan Africa, the cost associated with the disease could be more than double and might reach up to 59.3 billion dollars per year by 2030.

The report was published by the Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology Commission on Diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa by a team of 70 experts.

“We conclude that sub-Saharan Africa is not prepared for the increasing burden of diabetes brought about by rapid and ongoing transitions,’’ said the experts.

“Effective management of diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa will require careful considerations about the expansion of services to meet current and future burden while ensuring that services are integrated with other chronic diseases.’’

“The health, economic, and societal consequences of inaction will be huge. Decisive action is needed now, by all stakeholders, to address the scale and urgency in sub-Saharan Africa,’’ they said.

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Currently, only half of the people affected in populations in sub-Saharan Africa are aware that they have the disease, and only 11 percent receive drugs they need.

In recent years, various studies have warned of rapid societal transitions that are producing increases in wealth, urbanisation, changing lifestyle and eating habits.

More sedentary work practices and ageing populations across sub-Saharan African countries have led to increased risk of Type 2 Diabetes.

The report estimates that the economic cost of the disease in sub-Saharan Africa in 2015 totalled 19.5 billion dollars, equivalent to 1.2 percent of GDP.

On average, countries in the East Africa region spend 5.5 percent of their GDP on health.