Diabetes an escalating public health crisis in South Africa

The Weekend View

Diabetes is an escalating public health crisis in South Africa. This is according to the outcomes of the 2023 Diabetes Summit Report which has found that Diabetes-related mortality is on the rise in South Africa, and the management of the condition remains suboptimal, even within the private healthcare sector. Experts say despite the high burden on healthcare resources, numerous cases go undiagnosed. The 2023 Diabetes Summit Report and Recommendations were recently presented to the National Department of Health. Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Dr. Patrick Ngassa Piotie, Chairperson of the South African Diabetes Alliance and Co-Founder of the University of Pretoria Diabetes Research Centre