The World Health Organisation (WHO) says diabetes is worsening COVID-19-related deaths in African.
The global health body made this known on Thursday in an analysis on underlying conditions or comorbidities in Africans who tested positive for COVID-19.
According to the report, diabetes causes inflammation and poor blood circulation, “both of which increase the risk of complications, including death, from COVID-19”.
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The report reads: “Since the early days of the pandemic, people with diabetes in countries around the world have been prioritized to receive COVID-19 vaccinations. Africa has faced challenges in this strategy,”
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“Access to vaccines remains poor. Thus far, only 6.6% of the African population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, compared with about 40% globally. Data from 37 countries indicates that since March 2021, over 6.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have gone to Africans with comorbidities, representing 14% of all doses administered so far.
“Efforts to prioritize people with comorbidities, like diabetes, are accelerating with about half of those 6.5 million doses administered in just the last couple of months. However, there is still a lot more work to be done to ensure people at high risk receive the vaccines they need.”
