Nigeria has emerged as a global hotspot for diabetes-related amputations, a grim statistic fueled by inadequate healthcare facilities, poor professional care, and widespread misconceptions about the disease.
With over eight million Nigerians living with diabetes—representing seven percent of the population—the nation faces an escalating public health challenge, experts warn.
The Endocrine and Metabolism Society of Nigeria (EMSON) highlighted these alarming issues during this year’s World Diabetes Day commemoration, themed “Breaking the Barriers, Bridging the Gaps.”
EMSON’s president, Professor Andrew Uloko of Bayero University, Kano, while speaking during an event to commemorate the day stressed the urgent need for concerted efforts to tackle the growing diabetes burden.
According to him, significant barriers exists in managing the disease.
“Diabetes is manageable, but significant barriers like poverty, misinformation, and insufficient access to healthcare services worsen outcomes, leading to complications such as amputations and deaths,” Uloko stated.
He further called on Nigeria to adopt the World Health Organization’s five global diabetes targets for 2030 to reduce the prevalence and severity of the disease.
In his part, EMSON’s Public Relations Officer, Professor Michael Olamoyegun of LAUTECH, identified deep-rooted sociocultural beliefs as a key driver of Nigeria’s high amputation rates.
“Many Nigerians attribute diabetes-related complications like foot ulcers to spiritual attacks, turning to traditional or spiritual healers instead of seeking early medical intervention. This delay often results in advanced-stage complications when they finally present at hospitals,” Olamoyegun explained.
He stressed the importance of dispelling myths and addressing stigma to encourage timely treatment saying “Stigmas and misconceptions discourage people with diabetes from seeking medical help, leading to preventable complications.”
To combat the diabetes crisis, he said that EMSON is advocating for improved access to healthcare infrastructure, affordable medications, and better training for healthcare workers.
“Creating low-cost insurance options, expanding public health funding for diabetes care, and financial support for vulnerable families are critical steps,” Olamoyegun said.
The experts further urged Nigerians to take advantage of free diabetes screenings, public lectures, and other awareness campaigns organized by EMSON to learn about prevention and management.
