… urges FG to subsidise diabetes medications, consumables
The National President of the Diabetes Association of Nigeria (DAN), Dr. Ejiofor Ugwu has revealed that 30,000 to 40,000 Nigerians die from diabetes annually.
Ugwu made the disclosure in a statement ahead of the United Nations’ leads the world to celebrate the World Diabetes Day 2024 today.
DAN has alerted that six million Nigerian with diabetes are challenged with real danger, following the rapid increase in the cost of healthcare.
According to Dr. Ugwu, “About 6-8 million Nigerians (5.7 percent) have diabetes. This figure represents a tip of the iceberg as two-thirds of diabetes cases in Nigeria are still undiagnosed due to lack of routine screening.”
He asserted that high level of poverty, lack of awareness about diabetes, unhealthy cultural and religious belief, and inadequate diabetes care facilities are some of the challenges facing the management of diabetes which in results killed approximately 30,000 to 40,000 Nigerians annually.
He further expressed that this makes it difficult to get a good diabetes care in Nigeria as many patients can no longer afford care, resulting in increased diabetes complications and uncountable deaths.
“The Federal Government should as a matter of urgency, subsidise diabetes medications and consumables to make them more affordable to the teeming population of people living with diabetes in Nigeria,” he said.
DAN recommends complete tax waiver in importation of diabetes medications and consumables, noting that sugar sweetened beverages tax which was stopped in June 2024 need to be revived, with legislation to channel the funds accruing from it to diabetes and related non communicable diseases prevention.
“There is a need for a well conducted national survey on non-communicable diseases as soon as possible. This will provide accurate data to guide health care policy making,” he added.
