The Diabetes Association of Nigeria has called for an increase in sugar tax from 10% to 20% citing it as a measure to combat consumption of sugar.
This was stated by Dr. Alkali Mohammed the president of the Diabetes Association of Nigeria. He also stated that Nigerian diabetic patients spend on average around N300,000 annually on diabetic medications and diabetes, indirectly costing Nigeria about $4.5 billion annually.
Dr Alkali Mohammed shared this alarming statistic during the commemoration of the 2023 World Diabetes Day (WDD) in Abuja.
Staggering Diabetes Data
The Diabetes Association of Nigeria also disclosed that a staggering 11.2 million Nigerians are currently grappling with diabetes, with 90% of them classified as type 2.
The WDD, marked globally, serves as a day of advocacy and awareness, emphasizing the need for collective and individual efforts to manage and prevent diabetes. The theme for the 2023 commemoration is “Access to diabetes care.”
Dr. Mohammed underscored the severity of the diabetes situation, pointing out that the disease can impact any part of the body.
Globally, 537 million people are recorded to be living with diabetes, a figure projected to surge to 737 million by 2040 if decisive actions are not taken.
What He Said
Dr. Umar highlighted the multifaceted impact of diabetes on families, from financial strain to reduced productivity.
Nigeria bears the highest burden of diabetes in Africa, and the underreporting of cases implies that the actual number of individuals living with the disease may be higher.
- “In Nigeria, most of the payment we make for healthcare is out of pocket payment, so if you add the total costs of all the complications that affect any part of the body, together with the cost of living, it is a huge cost.
- “The second component is the fact that people become less productive when they lose their eyesight or when they are sick, they don’t go to work.
- “You can see that this sickness has a multi-factorial component on the family at large, and the amount you envisage you will spend on the sickness could be more than that.”
- “We want the proper implementation of policy, proper usage of the tax deduction from SSB products for the betterment of the lives of diabetic patients.”
To tackle this growing menace, Dr Mohammed advocated for a substantial increase in the tax on Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSBs) from 10% to 20%.
This measure aims not only to discourage the consumption of sugary products, thus fostering a healthier culture, but also to generate additional revenue for the government.
However, Dr Mohammed raised concerns about the utilization of the existing 10% tax on SSBs, highlighting the lack of clarity from the government on its allocation.
He appealed for transparency, urging the government to allocate at least 60% of this tax revenue to public enlightenment, prevention efforts, and subsidizing drugs, especially for diabetes patients.
The president of the National Action on Sugar Reduction (NASR), Dr Alhassan-Adamu Umar, emphasized the significant financial burden of diabetes.
As the nation grapples with the rising costs and health implications of diabetes, urgent and effective measures are imperative to alleviate the burden and improve the well-being of millions affected by this debilitating condition.
What you should know
According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), as of 2021, there are approximately 3.6 million cases of diabetes in adults in Nigeria, constituting 3.7% of the adult population.
A meta-analysis conducted in 2020 reported an even higher figure, suggesting that around 6 million adult Nigerians, or 5.8% of the adult population, are suffering from diabetes. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates the number to be around 4 million.
Importantly, it is essential to note that two-thirds of those with diabetes remain undiagnosed in Nigeria, emphasizing the urgency of addressing this public health challenge.
In addition to the diabetes crisis, data from the National Bureau of Statistics indicate that Nigeria’s Human Health and Social Services sector posted a GDP of N1.1 trillion as of 2022, reflecting the significance of healthcare in the country’s economy.
