Over 180 Million people contract Diabetes worldwide…WHO rep

Dr Thomas Sukwa, the World Health Organisation representative in The Gambia, has revealed that WHO estimates has shown that more than 180 million people worldwide have diabetes, which is likely to double by 2030.

The WHO representative was speaking at a press briefing last Tuesday at the Department of State for Health conference hall in Banjul. According to him, in 2005, an estimated 1.1 million people died of diabetes.  He noted that almost 80% of the disease occurs in low and middle income countries.

“Almost half of the diabetes deaths occur in people under 70 years. 55% of this are women and the disease can increase by more 50% in the next 10 years without urgent action,” he added. The WHO representative further said that diabetes can affect children of any age, even toddlers. Globally, he went on, there are close to 50,000 children under the age of 15 years with type one diabetes.

“The type two diabetes has been reported in children as young as eight years old. The research has shown that the type two diabetes can be prevented by enabling individuals to lose 7-10% of their body weight and by increasing their physical activity to a modest level,” he added. Dr Sukwa further maintained that the WHO is doing all it can to prevent and control diabetes by providing scientific guidelines for prevention.