Diabetes Is Rising in Africa. Could It Lead to New Breakthroughs?

Across the African continent, the focus on disease has long been on infectious killers such as HIV and tuberculosis. But in early February, around 700 policymakers, academics, and philanthropists convened in Kigali, Rwanda, to discuss the alarming rise of noncommunicable diseases in the region. Of particular concern: spiraling rates of type 2 diabetes. Earlier this year, a new study indicated that the number of people in sub-Saharan Africa with type 2 diabetes rose from 4 million in 1980 to 23.6 million in 2021, with projections suggesting that these cases will more than double to 54.9 million by 2045, driven, as in many other parts of the world, by rapid lifestyle changes including shifting diets and declining physical activity. It’s a problem that needs urgent attention, but it could also provide an opportunity to better understand this deadly disease and even lead to more effective—and inclusive—treatments. Segun Fatumo, a genetics professor at Queen Mary University of London who ... Read full article.