SGF: 2.8 per cent of Nigeria’s Adult Population Diabetic

…Flags off World Health Day

Jaiyeola Andrews in Abuja

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Engr. Babachir David Lawal on Thursday while flagging off World Health Day, said 2.8 per cent of the nation’s adult population was diabetic.

Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole charges all Nigerians to create awareness on the need to eradicate diabetes.

He said adequate steps must be taken to prevent its escalation.

The theme for this year’s World Head Day is “Beat Diabetics.”

The SGF noted that diabetics could be medically managed if detected at the early stage.

On his part, Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole said although the aim of this year’s World Health Day was to scale up diabetes prevention efforts, strengthen the pathway to care delivery and enhance surveillance, but the objective was a sub-set of public health service and should not be detached from broader health systems goals.

“Nigeria is currently undergoing an epidemiological transition, and the rise in prevalence of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), has implication on demands for heath care services.

“The health system hence needs to be positioned to respond effectively to theses new challenges and be able to offer quality services towards the management of the associated co-morbidities of NCDs” the minister said.

He added that diabetes was a chronic illness that requires continuing medical care and patient self-management for optimal results of outcomes and reduction of the risk of complications.

Adewole added that diabetes was expensive to manage, and as such could aggravate poverty and social inequalities.

He noted that if discovered late, diabetes could be associated with a number of co-morbidities such as hypertension.

“As part of our efforts to increase access to services required for the management of diabetes and ensure a sustainable financing plan is in play, we aim to incorporate the management of chronic illnesses into the benefit package to be delivered to Nigerians at the primary care level” the minister stressed.

He added that the key element of federal government’s strategy was to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Nigeria.