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Algerians seem to be hit hard by the diseases of the century, notably diabetes, which spares no age group of the population. A silent but massive crisis, requiring immediate national mobilization. Samia Zekri, professor of internal medicine, expert in diabetology with the Ministry of Health and trainer in therapeutic patient education, recalls that if the authorities have laid the institutional foundations, success will depend on the commitment of everyone: public authorities, industrialists, educators… but especially families.
Professor Zekri sounded the alarm during his speech yesterday on National Radio, recalling the scale of the crisis. “Indeed, there is an increase, there is a global explosion in the number of patients living with diabetes, and Algeria is not spared,” she indicated.
The global figures are alarming, recalls Professor Zekri, specifying that in the world, 537 million people are currently living with diabetes, with projections reaching 783 million patients by 2045. For Algeria, the situation is particularly worrying. She revealed that a study carried out between 2016 and 2017 indicated a prevalence of 14.4% among people aged 18 to 69, but the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) revealed a worrying progression in 2018, bringing this prevalence to 17.5%, or around 4.7 million Algerians affected.
Faced with this resurgence, the Ministry of Health reacted by creating a multisectoral committee, by presidential decree, responsible for reducing the quantity of sugar in processed foods. An important initiative, as the country faces a silent disease that threatens the health and well-being of millions of citizens.
Historically, recalled Professor Zekri, Algeria had set high sugar levels (up to 160 grams per kilo or per liter) to combat malnutrition. Recent regulations have lowered this threshold to 110 grams.
However, she warns of an insidious industry practice. “Manufacturers, fearing a drop in sales, have often compensated for this reduction by adding sweeteners. However, sweeteners are carcinogenic,” she warns. Even more serious, these substitutes maintain the addiction to sweet taste, undermining the goal of transitioning to slow sugars and a healthier diet.
For the specialist, the hunt should not be isolated to sugar, but must target the toxic triad of the “three whites” consumed in excess, namely sugar, salt and fat, key factors of excess weight. “This triad, when consumed in excess, promotes excess weight and therefore metabolic complications,” she warned, stressing that educating families on a balanced diet is therefore essential to break this cycle.
The consequences of diabetes are dramatic. “It is the leading cause of blindness in the world, the leading cause of non-traumatic amputations and the leading cause of dialysis,” lists Professor Zekri. These complications, often preventable through early detection and rigorous management, underline the failure of curative care and the need to focus on prevention.
To conclude, the speaker insisted on the fact that the fight against diabetes in Algeria must be global and collective. It involves doctors, authorities, manufacturers, educators, but also every citizen. “We must unite, you and us, the medical world, psychologists, paramedics, everyone must unite. »
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