‘Africans with diabetes more vulnerable to Covid-19 deaths’
JOHANNESBURG: The number of people dying from coronavirus infections in Africa is much higher in patients with diabetes, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said in a report.
“Africa’s sharp increase in diabetes is clashing with the Covid-19 pandemic and poor access to vaccines,” reported Anadolu quoting the UN health agency.
The WHO released its preliminary analysis one day before World Diabetes Day which is marked annually on Nov 14.
A recent analysis by the WHO evaluated data from 13 countries on underlying conditions, or comorbidities, in Africans who tested positive for the virus.
“It revealed a 10.2 per cent case fatality rate in patients with diabetes, compared with 2.5 per cent for Covid-19 patients overall.
“The case fatality rate for people with diabetes was also twice as high as the fatality rate among patients suffering any comorbidity,” it said.
WHO Regional Director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti said “Covid-19 is delivering a clear message: fighting the diabetes epidemic in Africa is in many ways as critical as the battle against the current pandemic.”
Moeti noted that the current pandemic will eventually subside but Africa is projected in the coming years to experience the highest increase in diabetes globally.
“We must act now to prevent new cases, vaccinate people who have this condition (diabetes) and, equally importantly, identify and support the millions of Africans unaware they are suffering from this silent killer,” she said.
An estimated 24 million people are living with diabetes in Africa in 2021, according to the International Diabetes Federation.
The continent is expected to experience the highest increase in diabetes globally, with the number of Africans suffering from the disease predicted to rise to 55 million by 2045, an increase of 134 per cent compared to 2021.
The report said Africa is the region with the highest number of people who do not know their diagnosis — an estimated 70 per cent do not know they have the disease.