Nigeria: Novo Nordisk launches a project for easier insulin access

 By AHIN: Novo Nordisk launches a new project to enhance the quality and accessibility of diabetes treatment in Nigeria, where an alarming number of people are developing type 2 diabetes every day.
The project is part of Novo Nordisk’s Base of the Pyramid programme (BoP) which has been established to make insulin more accessible to poor populations by offering it at reduced prices and establish treatment facilities closer to patient’s homes.
“We’re pleased to launch the BoP programme in Nigeria where the lack of quality treatment is a huge problem. There simply aren’t enough doctors to treat the rapidly growing patient group with type-2 diabetes, and very often even the larger hospitals don’t have enough insulin supplies,” says Jesper Høiland, senior vice president, International Operations, Novo Nordisk.
One of Novo Nordisk’s concrete initiatives is the establishment of so-called ‘One-Stop-Shops’ where people with diabetes will be offered guidance on how to manage their diabetes, get their blood glucose tested and get easy and fast access to insulin.
Additionally, Novo Nordisk and one of the local partners, the General Hospital Ikorudu, will train healthcare professionals in diabetes treatment and launch information campaigns for patients. In Lagos State where the hospital is located, more than 20,000 people have diabetes, but only a minority of these people are getting proper treatment. Diabetes is on the rise in Nigeria, due to an increased rural-to-urban migration which has resulted in unfavourable lifestyle changes.
The BoP programme in Nigeria complements two similar pilot projects in Kenya (LINK) and India, which address the needs of rural populations. The project in Nigeria is a public-private partnership established with the General Hospital Ikorodu and Sunny Kuku Foundation.
Diabetes in Africa
According to the International Diabetes Federation, the growth of diabetes in Africa is currently the highest in the world. Close to 15 million people in sub-Saharan Africa currently have diabetes, and this number is expected to rise to around 28 million in 2030. It is estimated that 78% of people with diabetes are undiagnosed.
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