By Ibrahim Sorie Koroma
Senior Health Education Officer – HEP/MoH
In a passionate move, the Director of the Directorate of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Santigie Sesay has appealed to health partners and stakeholders for increased support to address the numerous challenges in the management and treatment of diabetes.
Dr. Sesay made the plea at the event marking World Diabetes Day on November 14 in Freetown.
While giving the severity of the diseases, Dr Sesay said that diabetes is one of the most significant noncommunicable diseases affecting the population, adding that the disease poses a significant threat to the health and well-being of people. He reiterated that the prevalence of diabetes and other NCDs has been increasing over recent years due to changes in lifestyle, urbanization, and limited access to regular screening and preventive care.
Referencing various studies conducted on diabetes mellitus (DM) in Sierra Leone, Dr. Sesay said that the prevalence of Diabetes ranges from 2% to 7.0%, with a global burden of disease estimated at 3.3%.
He said that a recent cardiovascular (CVD) risk factor study revealed that only 32.9% of patients with elevated blood sugar were aware of their diabetes status, with only 19% receiving treatment and 8.6% achieving controlled blood sugar levels. “Complications from hypertension (HTN) and DM, such as ischemic heart disease and stroke, ranked 4th and 6th, respectively, among the top 10 causes of death in Sierra Leone,” Dr. Sesay added.
The NCD Director underscored the need for urgent actions by every stakeholder in their response as they work to ensure that no individual in Sierra Leone suffers needlessly from a preventable, treatable and manageable condition like diabetes.
Dr. Sesay further updated that, despite the challenges, the Ministry of Health in collaboration with its partners, has taken action on several fronts, including increased awareness rising on diabetes, focusing on prevention, early detection, and management.
Emphasizing prevention, he said that, through educational campaigns, they are encouraging individuals and families to adopt healthier lifestyles, including balanced diets and regular physical activity.
Health Promotion Officer – Fredson Kuti George, who spoke on behalf of the of World Health Organization (WHO), said that although the incidence of diabetes has started to decrease in some countries, prevalence has increased in recent decades in most other developed and developing countries, adding that globally an estimated 537 million adults 20-79 years are currently living with diabetes which accounts for 10.5% of the world’s population in the said age category in 2021.
The Health Promotion Officer estimated that in Africa 24 million adults are currently living with diabetes with that number predicted to increase by 129% to 55 million by 2045, adding that in 2021 alone, diabetes claimed the lives of 116, 000 people in Africa and is predicted to become one of the leading causes of death in the containment by 2030.
Mr. George further expressed WHOs continued commitment to support the Government through the Ministry of Health with technical assistance on health issues and issues of public health concern.
In another development, Child Fund in partnership with Medicines for All People (Map) International donated US$25 million worth of medical supplies geared toward the treatment and management of diabetes in the country.