Did you know that the rate of diabetes in Sub-Saharan Africa is set to double in the next 10 to 15 years? Today is World Diabetes Day; a day which shines a light on the impact diabetes has on the lives of millions of people around the world.
Diabetes is not just a disease of the rich. It also has an impact on millions of people living in poverty around the world. The affects of diabetes are particularly debilitating when left untreated, which often happens in poor areas with little health care or medical supplies. This is the reality facing many people in low-income countries.
Diabetes in Low Income Countries
Diabetes is on the rise around the world, and over the next 10 to 15 years it is estimated that the number of people with diabetes in Sub-Saharan Africa will double. This will hit rural areas especially hard, where access to appropriate medication and healthcare is still unacceptably low.
Indigenous communities throughout the world could be severely affected by diabetes. When indigenous communities move away from their traditional dependence on the land it can result in harmful dietary changes; some have swapped a high-protein diet for one of high-fat food, which has led to a leap in rates of diabetes. Because these groups often face discrimination and oppression they often have very little access to health care, which could mean the impact of diabetes is particularly severe for indigenous communities.
It is not right that some groups of people do not have access to the medicines they need to stay healthy. Unless we address the systemic reasons for global poverty, and the discrimination faced by certain communities, the impending diabetes epidemic will have a disproportionately devastating impact on certain communities.