Stakeholders seek solution to diabetes, NCDs challenge

Stakeholders in the health sector will converge to address the growing threat of diabetes and other non-communicable diseases in Nigeria.

According to the International Diabetes Federation estimate, about 415 million people have diabetes and more than 14 million of them live in Sub-saharan Africa; by 2040 these figures will double more, as Nigeria accounts for more than 1.5 million cases of diabetes in 2015.

The Federal Ministry of Health in collaboration with Strategies for improving Diabetes care in Nigeria (SIDCAIN) and the World Diabetes Foundation (WDF), based in Denmark will host the national stakeholders meeting with a focus on sharing experiences and meeting global Non-Communicable Disease and Diabetes target.

With the theme: “Diabetes and NCDs in Nigeria – Perspectives, Challenges and the way Forward”, the honourable Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, will be the keynote speaker, as more than 100 delegates gather at the Reiz Continental Hotel, Plot 799, Cadestral Zone AO, Central Business District, Abuja from August 23 to August 24.

The Day two of the program will focus on the status of NDC care in Nigeria and on strategies for realizing the goals of Nigeria’s National Strategic Plan of Action on prevention and Control of Non-communicable Disease.

The National Council on health had approved the plan, which outlines roles, objectives and an implementation framework for meeting global NCD and diabetes targets in 2014. It is currently being reviewed to be more responsive to national aspirations and better aligned to the national Strategic Health Development Plan (NSHDP) as well as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

According to the Director for Non-Communicable Diseases, Federal ministry of Health, Dr. Nnenna Ezeigwe: “Diabetes is one of the major public health and development challenges of the 21st century” adding that “ by bringing so many key partners together, we hope to foster more cooperation and synergies between the people and projects fighting diabetes and other NCDs in Nigeria.”