A civil society group, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has called on the federal government and state authorities to demonstrate financial commitment towards reducing the risk of diabetes and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
The group, a not-for-profit body, in a statement to commemorate annual World Diabetes Day, which was held last week, reiterated the call for an upward review of the country’s budgetary allocation to the health sector, and the N10/litre excise duty on sugar sweetened beverages – a known driver of diabetes.
CAPPA advised authorities to use the occasion to reflect on the country’s huge burden of NCDs, including about 11.2 million Nigerians living with diabetes.
A statement by the group Media and Communication Officer, Robert Egbe, in Lagos, quoted the group’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, as saying: “Nigeria is grappling with a significant burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), with 1 in 17 adults – roughly 11.2 million Nigerians – living with diabetes. This health crisis extends beyond the health sector, affecting the country’s social and economic environment.”
“The rising prevalence of diabetes, compounded by unstable economic conditions and an unhealthy food environment, places more Nigerians at risk of severe hardship.
“According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF and other leading international organisations, implementing effective policy measures like the SSB Tax and other forms of sin taxes, which reduce the desirability and accessibility of unhealthy diets, is essential for protecting public health,” the statement further said.
With this year’s World Diabetes Day themed: ‘Breaking Barriers, Bridging Gaps,’ the group urged state authorities to demonstrate their commitment to reducing the risk of diabetes by implementing effective food policies that can guarantee Nigerians access to healthy diets.
The organisation also called on the government to channel revenue generated from the SSB tax towards improving healthcare infrastructure and subsidising costs of disease management in the country.
