Medical experts have sounded the alarm over the escalating diabetes crisis in Nigeria, revealing that more than 11 million Nigerians are currently living with the disease, with many more cases remaining undiagnosed. The revelation was made by Professor Zuba Ilyasu, a consultant endocrinologist at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, during the 14th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Association of Clinical Endocrinologists of Nigeria (ACEN), held at Tahir Guest Palace, Kano.
Themed “Endocrinology and Public Health”, the high-level conference brought together health experts, policymakers, and researchers from across the country to address the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly diabetes and obesity.
Professor Ilyasu emphasized the urgent need for nationwide awareness campaigns and lifestyle interventions aimed at preventing and managing diabetes, stressing that unhealthy habits and poor dietary choices are fueling the epidemic.
Emeritus Professor Musa Borodo, who chaired the event, criticized the soaring cost of healthcare in Nigeria and called for practical strategies to ease the burden of managing chronic illnesses such as diabetes and obesity. He highlighted the conference’s role in developing effective public sensitization programs to promote healthy living and preventive healthcare.
Also speaking, Dr. Williams Balogun, President of ACEN, urged government bodies and stakeholders to allocate more resources towards combating non-communicable diseases. He reiterated ACEN’s commitment to proposing evidence-based solutions to tackle the rising cases of diabetes and obesity in Nigeria.
“This gathering will unveil innovative research and actionable ideas to ensure these health challenges are adequately addressed,” Dr. Balogun stated.
Declaring the conference open, Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, commended the initiative and pledged the state’s continued collaboration with medical associations like ACEN to tackle diabetes and other chronic diseases.
Governor Yusuf called on conference participants to devise practical resolutions to curb the alarming rise of diabetes and obesity, which he described as major public health concerns in Nigeria.
The conference is expected to conclude with a communiqué outlining strategies for public health education, early diagnosis, and policy recommendations to stem the tide of diabetes and other non-communicable diseases in Nigeria and beyond.
