Surge in Diabetes Cases Among Young Adults

Health officials in Kenya are sounding the alarm over a growing spike in diabetes, especially among younger populations. Medical Services Principal Secretary Dr. Ouma Oluga revealed that about 800,000 Kenyans have been diagnosed with diabetes — but he cautioned that due to low testing rates, the true number could be much higher.
A major concern is the large pool of undiagnosed cases. Dr. Oluga said at a national diabetes conference that many people only find out they are diabetic after suffering complications like kidney failure or heart disease, highlighting a major gap in early detection. He also warned of a potentially much larger undiagnosed diabetic population, estimating that up to two million Kenyans might currently be living with undetected or pre-diabetic conditions.
On the youth front, a recent report shows Kenya ranks 44th among low- to middle-income countries in the prevalence of Type 1 diabetes in people under 20. In 2024 alone, about 1,380 new cases were recorded among this age group, and approximately 570 young people died, according to data from the Access to Medicine Foundation.
Experts say this trend signals an urgent need to boost public education, routine screening programs, and youth-friendly diabetes care. According to PS Oluga, more than 100,000 Community Health Promoters have already been equipped with glucometers to help detect high blood sugar at the community level.