World Diabetes Day: High cost pushes drugs, special diets out of reach

As the world marks the 2026 World Diabetes Day today, attention is once again drawn to the importance of early diagnosis, timely treatment and sustained care in preventing complications and saving lives.

But for many Nigerians living with the condition, the challenge goes beyond early detection to affording medication, special diets and regular medical checks needed to manage the disease.

Some patients who spoke to Weekend Trust said the rising cost of treatment had pushed them into financial hardship, forcing them to ration prescribed drugs, compromise their diets or go for days without medication.

For Mrs Ngunengen Akpam, living with diabetes has become a daily struggle, not only against the disease but also against the rising cost of managing it.

The burden is compounded by her responsibility to also support her diabetic mother, Mama Lydia Acka, making the cost of medication, food and routine medical care a constant source of worry for the family.

Akpam told one of our correspondents that the prices of essential diabetes medications had increased considerably over the years, making it increasingly difficult to maintain the treatment prescribed by her doctors.

She recalled that Metformin, one of the drugs she takes, which sold for N700 for a pack of three cards in 2015, now costs about N2,500.

Similarly, Dormin, which previously sold for N700, now costs N3,500 for a pack of 10 cards, she said.

“The cost of drugs has increased tremendously. I take my medication twice daily, so it is not easy. In a month, we spend so much, especially when you have another diabetic person to cater for,” she said.

Medication, however, is only part of the financial burden.

Akpam explained that managing diabetes also requires adherence to a carefully regulated diet, including millet, beans and vegetables, which have also become expensive.

Although the price of millet had dropped from more than N1,200 to N600 per mudu during the harvest season, she said her financial circumstances still made it difficult to consistently afford the recommended food items.

The experience is similar for Mrs Elahi Onu, who has lived with diabetes for 11 years and whose treatment has become a major financial responsibility for her children.

Onu said her children spend at least N25,000 monthly on medication alone, while more than N60,000 goes into providing the special diet recommended for managing her condition.

She listed unripe plantain, beans, vegetables, basmati rice and grains such as millet among the food items she had been advised to eat.

“These special types of food are costly and drain the pockets of my children.

“Sometimes there is a delay in supplies of these items to me. I will be forced to go hungry for the period or fall back to any available food,” she said.

Beyond feeding and medication, Onu said she also had to contend with the cost of routine medical examinations.

She disclosed that one of her prescribed medications, Triviamet, costs about N13,000 for a pack of 35 tablets, apart from the other drugs she requires.

The additional expenses have continued to stretch the finances of a family already spending tens of thousands of naira monthly on her treatment and feeding.

Onu called on the government to intervene through reduced drug prices, subsidies and improved access to treatment, warning that people living with diabetes should not be left struggling to afford basic necessities for managing the condition.

She also stressed the need for early intervention and sustained support for patients, particularly as the world marks the 2026 World Diabetes Day under the theme, “Early Action on Diabetes”.

Living with diabetes without regular treatment

For Mark Tongir, who has lived with diabetes for 29 years, prevailing economic realities have made managing the condition increasingly difficult.

Tongir said he spends about N14,000 weekly on medication, but financial constraints sometimes force him to buy the drugs in small quantities rather than purchase a complete pack.

He said the situation had become particularly challenging amid the prevailing economic hardship, which had affected his ability to meet his treatment needs consistently.

“I wish the government would subsidise the treatment,” he said.

Another patient, Ahubi Anebi, who was diagnosed with diabetes more than 15 years ago, said financial difficulties had sometimes forced her to go for several days without medication.

Anebi said her health had deteriorated to the extent that she could no longer engage in paid employment to raise money for her treatment.

She explained that she previously earned a living by preparing and selling fast food by the roadside, but her inability to continue the business had left her dependent on relatives and other well-wishers.

“I hardly could adhere to the prescribed diet because the money to buy it is not available. I’m just living by the grace of God.

“Since I could no longer cook fast food by the roadside through which I could earn money to buy my food or drugs, I sometimes go for days without taking any, except when relatives dash me some money,” she said.

Without a regular source of income, Anebi depends on occasional financial assistance to obtain medication and food.

She and other patients appealed to the government to introduce measures that would make diabetes treatment affordable, particularly for low-income earners, elderly people and those who depend on relatives for survival.

They called for subsidised medication, affordable healthcare services and improved access to treatment to prevent complications associated with irregular medication and poor disease management.

‘15m persons living with diabetes for less than 200 specialists’

Meanwhile, the Endocrine and Metabolism Society of Nigeria (EMSON) has estimated that diabetes affects between six and seven per cent of Nigerians, representing approximately 15 million people.

Its president, Prof. Andrew Uloko, warned that many Nigerians were living with diabetes without knowing their status, while those already diagnosed faced difficulties accessing essential medicines, glucose-monitoring equipment, laboratory investigations and specialist care.

He identified population growth, ageing, urbanisation, changing dietary habits and physical inactivity as factors reshaping Nigeria’s endocrine disease landscape.

Prof. Anas Sabir, an endocrinologist, also estimated that between 10 and 15 million Nigerians were living with diabetes.

Sabir put the prevalence of the disease at between 5.7 and seven per cent, identifying late presentation and high treatment costs as major challenges.

“Most patients pay out of pocket. Even the NHIA does not give coverage of everything and, even when it does, it is not very effective,” he said.

Sabir said patients could present with diabetes alongside hypertension, dyslipidaemia and obesity, further complicating Nigeria’s disease burden.

He added that Nigeria had fewer than 200 practising endocrinologists, with specialist training concentrated mainly in tertiary hospitals in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano.

Africans living with diabetes may hit 59.5m – WHO

Similarly, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised concerns about the growing burden of diabetes across Africa, warning that millions of people remain undiagnosed until serious complications develop.

In his World Diabetes Day 2026 message, WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, said an estimated 24.6 million adults aged between 20 and 79 were living with diabetes in the African Region in 2024.

He warned that the figure was projected to rise to 59.5 million by 2050 if urgent interventions were not sustained.

More concerning, Janabi said nearly three out of every four adults living with diabetes in the region remained undiagnosed, representing the highest proportion globally.

According to him, many of those affected are at risk of developing serious complications, including kidney failure, blindness, cardiovascular diseases and lower-limb amputations.

“Early diagnosis and timely treatment can prevent complications, reduce suffering and save lives,” he said.

Janabi explained that this year’s World Diabetes Day theme, “Early Action on Diabetes”, was a call on individuals, communities, governments, healthcare workers and development partners to strengthen awareness, promote early diagnosis and guarantee access to affordable, quality treatment.

He urged members of the public to pay attention to warning signs such as increased thirst, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss, persistent tiredness and blurred vision.

He also encouraged people at increased risk of diabetes to undergo screening, noting that the disease could develop without obvious symptoms.

“Do not ignore these symptoms. Seek testing and medical advice promptly, and encourage family members and friends to do the same,” he advised.

The WHO official also called on communities to raise awareness, share accurate information and challenge stigma and discrimination against people living with diabetes.

He urged healthcare workers to recognise symptoms early, provide timely testing and deliver compassionate, patient-centred care.

While acknowledging ongoing efforts to strengthen diabetes services across the continent, Janabi said significant gaps remained in access to trained health workers, diagnostic equipment, essential medicines and continuous care.

He said the WHO was supporting countries through several initiatives, including the WHO Package of Essential Noncommunicable Diseases (WHO PEN), the HEARTS technical package for cardiovascular disease, HEARTS-D for the diagnosis and management of Type 2 diabetes, and PEN-Plus for managing severe noncommunicable diseases at first-level referral health facilities.

He particularly commended Rwanda for achieving nationwide district-level coverage of PEN-Plus, alongside other countries making progress in implementing the initiative.

However, he maintained that governments must prioritise diabetes prevention, early diagnosis and continuous treatment within primary healthcare and universal health coverage programmes.

“This requires sustained investment in public awareness, affordable insulin and essential medicines, diagnostics, trained health workers and reliable health systems,” he said.

He also urged development partners, civil society organisations and the private sector to support country-led interventions, particularly in underserved communities.

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