#InTheSpotlight | Poorly controlled diabetes is a top killer, time to take it more seriously

Posted in: #InTheSpotlight, Access to Medicines, Focus, Healthcare system, InFocus, Latest, Special Investigations, Spotlight

The South African government has adopted a national target to bring the blood sugar levels of people with diabetes under control. But beyond the target, the country’s response to diabetes is falling far short. In this Spotlight special briefing, Catherine Tomlinson looks at what the country needs to do to better manage this often fatal disease and how we can draw lessons from the response to HIV.

#InTheSpotlight | Poorly controlled diabetes is a top killer, time to take it more seriously

#InTheSpotlight | Diabetes is a leading killer in SA – yet we don’t know who has it or where they are

Posted in: #InTheSpotlight, Access to Medicines, Focus, Healthcare system, InFocus, Latest, Special Investigations, Spotlight

Diabetes is the second leading cause of death in South Africa after tuberculosis, according to Statistics South Africa. It is the leading cause of death in women. Yet, despite being a major driver of deaths and illness, we do not have a clear picture of how many people in the country have diabetes or how many people are receiving diabetes care. This leaves our health system ill-equipped to handle the growing diabetes crisis.