Rabat - Nearly 2 million Moroccans aged 20 and older have diabetes, according to new estimates from the Health Ministry. In addition, half of them are unaware they suffer from this disease.
The number of people living with diabetes in Morocco has reached new peaks, with nearly two million people now living with the disease, said Health Minister Hossine El Ouardi on Monday at the launch of the national campaign to raise awareness of diabetes.
The distressing numbers have also shown that an estimated 15,000 Moroccan children are diagnosed with diabetes.
The number of people with diabetes in Morocco has increased due to modern lifestyle, bad eating habits and lack of physical activity. Many people are living longer with diabetes, which raises the total number of those with the disease.
The minister pointed out that 580 thousand people diagnosed with diabetes have access to medical facilities and 260 thousand of them are being treated with insulin.
El Ouardi added that 53 per cent of the expenses of long-term illness are allocated to diabetes and its complications. 40 per cent of enrollees in the national fund of social welfare organizations (CNOPS) who suffer from long-term illness are diagnosed with diabetes.
The Minister stressed the importance of the national campaign to raise awareness of diabetes which is set to continue throughout the entire of 2015.
The campaign aims to raise awareness of the different types of diabetes and early symptoms and complications, as well as raising awareness of the importance of early detection.
The post Nearly 2 Million Moroccans Have Diabetes appeared first on Morocco World News.