By Emma Nnadozie
Global healthcare company, Sanofi, has entered into a two-year partnership with the Kano State Government to expand access to quality and affordable diabetes care, as part of efforts to strengthen the management of non-communicable diseases in the state.
The collaboration agreement was signed at the Emergency Operations Centre, Kano, and is expected to improve diabetes prevention, diagnosis and treatment across primary and secondary healthcare facilities, amid rising cases of the disease in Nigeria and Africa.
Under the agreement, the Kano State Ministry of Health will gain access to affordable, high-quality analogue insulin for patients living with diabetes. Sanofi will also deploy a digital health solution to support physicians, nurses, pharmacists and community health workers in patient education, engagement and monitoring.
In addition, healthcare professionals in the state will benefit from targeted medical training programmes aimed at improving diabetes diagnosis, clinical management and overall quality of care.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Kano State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, described diabetes as a major public health concern for the state and the wider region.
He said the partnership underscores the state government’s commitment to improving access to essential medicines, strengthening the capacity of healthcare workers and advancing its Universal Health Coverage agenda.
“This collaboration is a strategic step towards ensuring that people living with diabetes in Kano have access to quality care and life-saving medicines, while no resident is left behind,” Yusuf said.
Also speaking, Sanofi’s Global Affordable Strategy Lead for General Medicines, Dr. Stephane Gokou, said the agreement aligns with the company’s long-standing commitment to expanding equitable access to diabetes care, particularly in underserved and low-income populations.
According to him, Sanofi is already partnering with governments in several low- and middle-income countries, including Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa, through its AccesS Diabetes initiative.
He explained that the programme focuses on critical stages of the patient journey, including awareness and screening, patient support, healthcare worker training, and the provision of analogue insulin at adapted prices.
The partnership comes against the backdrop of a projected surge in diabetes cases across Africa. Data from the International Diabetes Federation indicates that the number of people living with diabetes on the continent is expected to rise by 129 per cent, from 24 million in 2021 to 55 million by 2045.
In Nigeria, an estimated 3.6 million adults are currently living with diabetes, while over 51,000 children and adolescents are affected by Type 1 diabetes.
Sanofi noted that the Kano collaboration aligns with the Affordable Access pillar of its corporate social responsibility strategy, which includes Sanofi Global Health, a non-profit unit focused on improving access to healthcare in the world’s lowest-income countries, and Foundation S, its philanthropic arm.
Sanofi is a global healthcare company operating in about 100 countries, with a focus on developing innovative medicines and vaccines, while embedding sustainability and social responsibility at the core of its operations. The company is listed on Euronext Paris and the NASDAQ.
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