Diabetes stands as South Africa’s leading cause of natural death, with estimates indicating that up to 70% of individuals living with the condition remain undiagnosed due to asymptomatic early stages and systemic screening barriers.
According to Statistics South Africa, diabetes accounted for 28,767 registered deaths in 2024, representing 6.1% of the total mortality statistics.
The International Federation of Diabetes estimated that 60% to 70% of people with diabetes remain undiagnosed because the disease often develops without symptoms. During this period of high glucose levels without symptoms, excess glucose can damage blood vessels throughout the body, leading to blurred vision as well as nerve, heart, and kidney damage. Approximately 2.3 million South African adults live with diabetes, according to 2024 estimates from the International Federation of Diabetes.
Research at the SAMRC/CPUT Cardiometabolic Health Research Unit aims to study ways of identifying people living with diabetes before they develop complications. Investigators said that routine screening is often inconsistent and performed only on individuals who already have complications, while point-of-care finger-prick tests are not uniformly available at health facilities.
Recent investigations into simple screening tools for community clinics without laboratories found that measurements such as waist circumference could identify those at risk, pointing South Africa toward risk-based screening.
Four diagnostic tests are used in South Africa: the oral glucose tolerance test, fasting glucose, random glucose, and glycated haemoglobin.
For patients using the healthcare system, practical considerations such as transport costs, working hours, caregiving responsibilities, and household finances influence access to routine care. Statistics South Africa reported that just 15.5% of South Africans had medical aid coverage in 2025. For those with medical schemes, diabetes is included under Prescribed Minimum Benefits.
As part of Diabetes Awareness Month, Servier South Africa is encouraging families to look beyond the condition. Additionally, Sweet Life Diabetes Community co-founder Bridget McNulty and her team organized 100 diabetes walks around South Africa for World Diabetes Day on Nov. 14, 2026, encouraging people to wear blue in support.
