It is estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO) that 3% of the world’s population (194 million) have diabetes and the prevalence is expected to double by the year 2025 to 6.3% [1]. According to WHO, it is estimated that there were 88,000 diabetics in Libya the year 2000. This prevalence is estimated to reach 245,000 diabetics by the year 2030, (see figure below). In Libya, according to local epidemiological studies, the prevalence for known diabetic patients aged over 20 years was 3.8% [2]. As 50% of type 2 diabetic patients are unaware of their diabetes “undiagnosed”, the actual prevalence is probably higher. In the town of Tajoura, the west part of Libya; 7.9% of all adult members of 1094 randomly selected families (2996 persons aged between 20 and 75 years) had diabetes [3]. In Benghazi, in the eastern part of Libya, screening of randomly selected group of 868 subjects revealed that about 23% above age of 20 years were glucose intolerant, two-thirds had diabetes and the rest had impaired glucose tolerance [4]. From these two Libyan cohorts, we estimate the adult diabetic population in Libya to be at least 300,000 at present.
Uitgever:
Ibnosina Medical Association and Alfatah University, Faculty of Medicin, Tripoli
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