The 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.
The not-for-profit, in a statement following last Thursdayās celebration of World Diabetes Day, reiterated its call for an upward review of the countryās budgetary allocation to the health sector, as well as the N10/litre excise duty on sugar-sweetened beverages ā a known driver of diabetes.
CAPPA advised authorities to use the occasion of the day to reflect on the countryās huge burden of NCDs, including about 11.2 million Nigerians living with diabetes.
CAPPAās Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said: āNigeria is grappling with a significant burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), with 1 in 17 adults – roughly 11.2 million Nigerians ā living with diabetes. This health crisis extends beyond the health sector, affecting the countryās social and economic environment.ā
The statement further reads: āThe rising prevalence of diabetes, compounded by unstable economic conditions and an unhealthy food environment, places more Nigerians at risk of severe hardship.
āAccording 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.ā
With this yearās World Diabetes Day themed āBreaking Barriers, Bridging Gaps,ā CAPPA urged state authorities to demonstrate their commitment to reducing the risk of diabetes by implementing effective food policies that 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 the costs of disease management in the country.