Online Reporter
Remember Deketeke-Herald Correspondent
AS the world marks World Diabetes Day today, the focus turns to the life-long impact of the disease, which now affects people across every stage of life, from early childhood to old age.
This year’s theme, “Diabetes Across Life Stages”, chosen by the World Health Organisation, underscores the urgent need for integrated care, sustained awareness and policies that safeguard the health, dignity, and well-being of millions living with the condition worldwide.
The commemorations come as global health experts warn of an alarming rise in diabetes, driven largely by poor diet, sedentary lifestyles, and lack of awareness about prevention and management. According to the International Diabetes Federation, more than 540 million people are living with diabetes globally, a number expected to rise sharply if concerted action is not taken.
In Zimbabwe, health officials estimate that at least one in 10 adults could be living with diabetes, diagnosed or otherwise, highlighting the silent but significant threat the disease poses to national health.
The WHO’s message for 2025 is clear: diabetes is not confined to one age group or demographic; it affects people at every life stage.
Children diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes face a lifetime of monitoring blood sugar and managing insulin therapy, while adults, particularly those in their working years, often develop Type 2 diabetes.
For older adults, the risks multiply. Diabetes can exacerbate cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, and vision loss, contributing to a significant decline in quality of life.
“Diabetes can impact people across all life stages, including childhood, the reproductive years, working age, and older adulthood,” WHO said in its campaign statement.
“Every person living with diabetes should have access to integrated care, supportive environments, and policies that promote health, dignity, and self-management.”
This life-course approach recognises that diabetes prevention and care cannot exist in isolation. It calls for sustained action, from encouraging healthier eating habits in schools, to promoting physical activity in workplaces, to ensuring consistent access to medication and monitoring tools in hospitals and clinics.
World Diabetes Day is not just another calendar event.
Established by the United Nations and celebrated annually on 14 November, it honours the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who, together with Charles Best, discovered how to provide insulin in 1921, a breakthrough that transformed diabetes into a manageable condition.
