According to World Health Organisation (WHO) data, death rates from COVID-19 infections are much higher in patients with diabetes in Africa, where the number of people with diabetes is growing rapidly.
A WHO analysis of data from 13 African countries found a 10.2 percent case fatality rate in COVID-19 patients with diabetes, compared with 2.5 percent COVID-19 patients overall.
Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, 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.”
The data from Africa on the increased vulnerability of people with diabetes to death from COVID-19 reflects a global trend. Concerns remain high with 8.6 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and 220,0000 deaths on the continent and fewer than 7 percent of the African population being fully vaccinated against COVID-19, compared with about 40 percent globally.
The WHO also estimates that 70 percent of people with diabetes on the continent are unaware they have the disease.
In separate statistics, fifty-five million people in Africa are expected to present with diabetes by 2045, from 24 million this year, according to a forecast published by the International Diabetes Federation.
Advocacy Action: Is the link between Covid and diabetes widely understood in your country by decision makers and by the public? Is the link mentioned in either diabetes or Covid awareness campaigns?