National chair of the Zimbabwe Diabetes Association Ngoni Chigwana said that diabetes prevalence has increased significantly. The last survey, in 2005, showed 10% of the population had diabetes, and he said this number has tripled.
The Minister of Health and Child Welfare, Dr Henry Madzorera said: “One in four Zimbabweans has hypertension and one in 10 has some form of diabetes. The ministry had taken steps to educate the public on non-communicable diseases to help people maintain their good health. We have been focusing on disadvantaged communities and vulnerable groups countrywide, with particular attention on populations migrating from rural to urban centres.”
Dr Elopy Sibanda, a consultant physician in Harare, said most health resources were being spent on HIV when evidence suggests that even more are affected by diseases such as diabetes. He said little had been done to educate Zimbabweans on how to prevent the serious health consequences of high blood pressure and diabetes.
