24 million people in Africa have diabetes. With the current growth trajectory, it suggests that 55 million will have diabetes by 2045, with more than half of these people living with the disease undiagnosed.
The countries with the highest prevalence in Africa are South Africa, Nigeria, Tanzania, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with a collective 416,000 deaths in 2021 alone. With these staggering statistics in mind, we need to rally as healthcare providers in Africa to develop holistic strategies against conditions that not only destroy lives but devastate economies.
As part of our commitment to providing quality healthcare to Africa and overcoming chronic disease, we launched our new Shalgli anti-diabetic range on the occasion of World Diabetes Day, 14 November 2022. The range includes Shalgli 2mg/4mg (Oral Antidiabetic-Glimepiride 2/4mg tab) and Shalgli M 1/500 mg and 2/500 mg (Oral Antidiabetic-Glimepiride + Metformin prolonged release tab). As non-injectables, they are more accessible, safe for all ages and result in better blood sugar control.
The launch event, in conjunction with the Shalina Academy, took place in Lubumbashi and was attended by 70 top Diabetologists, Internists and Physicians, with guest speaker Prof Emmanuel Muyumba from CUL (Clinic University of Lubumbashi) presenting practical case studies, followed by a lively Q&A session.
We see this awareness and knowledge sharing event as one part of a massive puzzle, with the participation of government, educational institutions and businesses in the private sector, like ourselves, who realise that a coordinated, proactive approach is far more beneficial than a reactive one. The first step in this approach is to make effective medication more accessible, affordable and available to all.