WHO raises alarm as 75% of diabetes cases in Africa remain undiagnosed

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has revealed that nearly three out of every four adults living with diabetes in Africa are unaware of their condition, warning that delayed diagnosis puts millions at risk of life-threatening complications.

The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Mohamed Janabi, raised the concern in a message shared ahead of the 2026 World Diabetes Day, marked on 14 November.

Mr Janabi said an estimated 24.6 million adults aged 20 to 79 were living with diabetes in the African Region in 2024, according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF).

He warned that the figure could rise to 59.5 million by 2050, describing the high proportion of undiagnosed cases as the highest globally.

According to him, delayed diagnosis and treatment expose people living with the condition to serious complications, including kidney failure, blindness, cardiovascular disease and lower-limb amputations.

He stressed that early diagnosis and timely treatment could prevent complications, reduce suffering and save lives.

Early diagnosis

Under this year’s theme, ‘Early Action on Diabetes’, Mr Janabi urged individuals, communities, governments and healthcare workers to strengthen public awareness, promote early testing and improve access to affordable diabetes care.

He advised members of the public to watch out for symptoms such as increased thirst, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss, persistent tiredness and blurred vision.

He urged people experiencing these symptoms to seek medical advice and testing promptly, adding that individuals at increased risk should undergo screening even when they show no obvious symptoms.

“Do not ignore these symptoms. Seek testing and medical advice promptly, and encourage family members and friends to do the same,” he said.

Mr Janabi also called on communities to promote accurate information about diabetes and challenge the stigma and discrimination associated with the condition.

He encouraged people living with diabetes to share their experiences and support others in seeking medical attention.

Strengthening healthcare services

Mr Janabi urged healthcare workers to recognise diabetes symptoms early, provide timely testing and ensure compassionate, patient-centred care.

He said the WHO and its partners were supporting African countries to strengthen diabetes services through several initiatives, including the WHO Package of Essential Noncommunicable Disease Interventions (WHO PEN), the HEARTS technical package for cardiovascular disease prevention and management, and HEARTS-D, which focuses on the diagnosis and management of type 2 diabetes.

He also highlighted the Regional Strategy to Address Severe Noncommunicable Diseases at First-Level Referral Health Facilities, known as PEN-Plus.

According to him, these initiatives are designed to improve diabetes services at primary healthcare and first-level referral facilities.

He commended Rwanda for achieving nationwide district-level coverage of PEN-Plus, alongside other countries making progress in implementing the initiative.

However, he noted that significant gaps remained in access to trained healthcare workers, diagnostic services, essential medicines and continuous care.

Call for increased investment

Mr Janabi called on African governments to prioritise diabetes prevention, early diagnosis and continuous treatment within primary healthcare systems and universal health coverage programmes.

He said addressing the challenge would require sustained investment in public awareness, affordable insulin and essential medicines, diagnostic services, trained health workers and reliable healthcare systems.

He also urged development partners, civil society organisations and the private sector to support government-led efforts, particularly in underserved communities.

Mr Janabi reaffirmed the WHO’s commitment to supporting African countries to achieve the 2030 targets of the Framework for the Implementation of the Global Diabetes Compact in the African Region.

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He urged people across the continent to recognise the warning signs of diabetes and seek medical attention early.

“Know the symptoms. Do not ignore the warning signs. Seek testing and care early. Encourage others to do the same,” he said.

World Diabetes Day

World Diabetes Day is observed annually on 14 November to raise awareness about diabetes, its prevention, diagnosis and management.

The campaign allows governments, healthcare professionals, communities, and organisations to highlight the growing burden of the condition and the need to improve access to care.