Ministry of Health Raises Alarm Over Rising Diabetes Cases as Sierra Leone Marks World Diabetes Day 2025
By: Edward Dictionary Caulker
Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health has issued a renewed warning about the country’s fast-growing diabetes crisis as it joined global commemorations for World Diabetes Day 2025. The event, held at the Youyi Building in Freetown under the theme “Diabetes and Well-Being” with a national focus on “Diabetes in the Workplace,” brought together government officials, health partners, and civil society representatives.
Health authorities say this year’s observance comes amid a worrying rise in diabetes cases, particularly among children, working-age adults, and residents of urban communities.
Dr. Abdul Jalloh, Director of Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health, said diabetes has now become a national development concern rather than a purely medical issue. He urged stronger public education, especially through the media, to promote prevention and early detection.
A sharper warning came from Michele Soci, Country Manager for Doctors with Africa (CUAMM), who described the growing number of children arriving at hospitals with severe Type 1 diabetes as a “quiet emergency.” He said many parents still fail to recognize early symptoms, resulting in life-threatening delays in treatment.
Delivering the keynote address, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr. Alie Wurie placed Sierra Leone’s situation in a global context, noting that worldwide diabetes cases have quadrupled in the last 30 years. He disclosed that Sierra Leone’s own diabetes numbers have risen sharply from 7,000 cases in 2011 to an estimated 170,000 in 2024. Some urban districts, he added, now record prevalence rates of up to 6.2 percent.
Dr. Wurie highlighted several government reforms, including the ongoing revision of the National NCD Policy, expansion of diabetes services at primary health units, and improved early detection at community level facilities. He also acknowledged partnerships with WHO, Partners In Health, PATH, Sanofi, and others, as well as the continued national referral role of the Connaught Hospital diabetes clinic.
He issued one of the day’s strongest cautions regarding the high sugar content in many locally produced beverages and snacks, warning that rising consumption habits are increasing national health risks.
“Diabetes is now a major public health crisis,” Dr. Wurie said. “We are losing limbs, losing lives, and losing national productivity.”
He called for a week-long intensification of diabetes awareness across all media platforms, stressing that the fight requires consistent involvement from government, workplaces, and communities not just the health sector.
