Diabetic patients at risk as cost of medication rises over 400%
The Diabetes Association of Nigeria (DAN), has warned that six million Nigerians with diabetes are facing existential threat, following the skyrocketing cost of healthcare.
In a statement released to mark the United Nation’s World Diabetes Day slated for November 14, the National President, DAN, Dr. Ejiofor Ugwu, said that 30,000 to 40,000 Nigerians die annually from the condition.
According to Dr. Ugwu, “About 6-8 million Nigerians (5.7 percent) have diabetes. This figure represents a tip of the iceberg as two-thirds of diabetes cases in Nigeria are still undiagnosed due to lack of routine screening.”
Diabetes kills an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 Nigerians annually. Managing diabetes in Nigeria is faced with a lot of challenges including a high level of poverty, low diabetes awareness, shortage of manpower especially diabetes specialists, unhealthy cultural and religious beliefs, and inadequate diabetes care facilities.
In the past one year, the cost of diabetes medications and consumables has gone astronomically high, beyond the reach of most patients. Insulin vial for instance, which used to cost about N4,000 now sells for about N18,000, representing over 400 percent increase.
This poses significant barrier to optimal diabetes care in Nigeria as majority of patients can no longer afford care, resulting in increased diabetes complications and premature deaths.”
On the way out, he said; “The Federal Government should as a matter of urgency, subsidize diabetes medications and consumables to make them more affordable to the teeming population of people living with diabetes in Nigeria.”
He recommends complete tax waiver in importation of diabetes medications, He also said tax on Sugar sweetened beverages which was stopped in June 2024 need to be revived, adding that there should be legislation to channel the funds accruing from it to diabetes and related non communicable diseases prevention.
He said there is a need for a well conducted national survey on non communicable diseases as soon as possible. “This will provide accurate data to guide health care policy making,” he added.
