DIABETES CRISIS LOOMS: 60 Million Africans at Risk by 2050, WHO Warns

By Emmanuel Kwada 

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a stark warning that the number of adults living with diabetes in Africa could surge from 24 million to over 60 million by 2050 without immediate and sustained interventions to address rising lifestyles, obesity, and gaps in healthcare access.

In a statement released ahead of World Diabetes Day 2025, observed annually on November 14, WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Mohamed Janabi, described the projected escalation as an “unprecedented rise” threatening to cripple health systems and undo economic progress across the continent.

“Africa is facing an unprecedented rise in diabetes, driven by a complex interplay of changing lifestyles, rising overweight and obesity, and limited access to preventive and primary health services,” Dr. Janabi said. “The scale and speed of this trend demand urgent and sustained action.”

Currently, more than 24 million adults aged 20 to 79 in the WHO African Region are diagnosed with diabetes, a figure expected to more than double within the next 25 years.

Alarmingly, nearly half of these cases remain undiagnosed, leaving individuals vulnerable to severe complications such as heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, nerve damage, disability, and premature death.

“Over time, diabetes can damage the heart, kidneys, eyes and nerves, profoundly affecting individuals, families and communities,” Dr. Janabi emphasized.

“Unless reversed, this trajectory will overwhelm health systems, strain economies and erode hard-won development gains.”

This year’s World Diabetes Day theme, “Diabetes Across Life Stages,” underscores that the disease impacts people at every phase of life – from children and adolescents to adults and the elderly – necessitating age-specific prevention and care strategies.

To combat the crisis, WHO urges African nations to build resilient health systems capable of delivering continuous care, from early prevention and diagnosis to lifelong treatment and support.

The organization highlighted the 2024 endorsement by African Member States of the Framework for the Implementation of the Global Diabetes Compact in Africa, which promotes equitable, comprehensive care.

Countries like Ghana and Uganda are already integrating diabetes and cardiovascular services into primary healthcare using this framework.

WHO’s PEN (Package of Essential Noncommunicable Disease Interventions) is operational in 31 countries, while PEN-Plus, targeting severe chronic conditions, is implemented in 20 nations to expand affordable, quality care at the grassroots level.

“Sustained financing, reliable supply chains and stronger referral and data systems are vital to maintain momentum and equity,” Dr. Janabi noted.

The 2025 campaign focuses on a core objective: empowering those living with diabetes to thrive at every life stage through education, access to care, and community support.

WHO continues to assist countries in adapting these tools for effective prevention and control, calling on governments, partners, and communities to act decisively to avert a public health catastrophe.