The call was made on Wednesday during the 6th Annual Ogun State Youth Diabetes Camp held in Abeokuta organised to empower young people living with Type 1 diabetes with knowledge, life skills and practical support needed to manage the lifelong condition.
Thirty-six young people living with Type 1 diabetes attended the 2026 camp. The participants, aged between 10 and 25 years, came from Ogun, Lagos, Oyo, Ekiti, Kwara and Kogi States.
The Camp Coordinator of Talabi Diabetes Centre, Ilishan-Remo, Dr Olubiyi Adeshina, explained that Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas, leaving affected persons dependent on insulin to survive.
According to him, failure to take insulin for a prolonged period could result in dangerously high blood sugar, coma and, if untreated, death.
He said, “All the days of their lives, at least three times a day, they will need to inject that insulin or else the blood sugar goes excessively high.”
Adeshina said one of the biggest challenges confronting the young beneficiaries was the rising cost of insulin, noting that a vial which previously cost about N5,000 now sells for approximately N25,000.
He added that some beneficiaries require about two vials monthly, translating to roughly N50,000 every month, excluding other expenses such as blood glucose monitoring.
“It’s a tough battle. How are we going to get insulin to these young people so that they can survive into adulthood?” he asked, stressing that without access to insulin, young people living with Type 1 diabetes could lose their lives.
Also speaking, Ag. Director, Talabi Diabetes Centre Dr Ayotunde Ale appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to develop a dedicated policy for people living with Type 1 diabetes, particularly children and young adults.
She said persons living with Type 1 diabetes were a vulnerable group and deserved sustained access to insulin therapy.
“Insulin is very, very expensive. Now, with the inflation and everything that is ongoing in the society, a packet, a month’s supply, now costs about N25,000 against N5,000 that we used to purchase insulin,” she said.
Ayotunde urged the government to subsidise insulin and establish a policy framework that would enable people living with Type 1 diabetes to access the medication easily, adding that affordable treatment would improve blood sugar control and reduce diabetes-related complications.
She further appealed to the National Assembly to look into the challenges facing people living with the condition, noting that many young patients struggle to maintain a good quality of life because of the financial burden associated with their treatment.
Beyond medical care, Ayotunde identified stigma as another major challenge facing young people living with Type 1 diabetes. She said education and awareness had helped many beneficiaries overcome discrimination and become advocates within their schools, workplaces and communities.
She noted that the beneficiaries included undergraduates, graduates and students who were excelling academically despite living with the condition.
The doctors also stressed the importance of early screening, particularly for children who exhibit symptoms associated with diabetes.
Ayotunde appealed to parents and members of the public to stop attributing unexplained deaths among children to traditional beliefs such as “ogbanje”, urging them to seek medical attention and diabetes screening.
“My message is that all those children we call ogbanje, we call different types of—they die in their youth, and you don’t know the cause. Don’t call them ogbanje. Please, come for testing. Let’s do screening for all these children,” she said.
Adeshina also educated participants on the symptoms of diabetes, including excessive urination, excessive thirst, weight loss, blurred vision and wounds that fail to heal.
He explained that while Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition that cannot currently be prevented through lifestyle changes, Type 2 diabetes is strongly associated with lifestyle factors such as unhealthy diets, physical inactivity and excessive weight gain.
He therefore encouraged Nigerians to embrace regular physical activity and healthier diets, particularly traditional African diets rich in vegetables, fruits and nuts, while reducing excessive consumption of pastries, cakes and sugary drinks.
At the camp, participants were also trained on safe insulin administration, blood sugar monitoring, appropriate nutrition and physical exercise. According to Adeshina, aerobic exercise was incorporated into the daily activities of the camp because physical activity can help improve blood sugar management.
One of the beneficiaries, Onwuegbuzie Onyekachukwu Sharon described the camp as an important platform for young people living with Type 1 diabetes to learn how to manage their condition and interact with others facing similar challenges.
“This camp is a very nice place if you want to enjoy yourself and know more about people that have this condition. It gives you more knowledge about living with Type 1 diabetes, what you’re supposed to do and how you’re supposed to manage it,” she said.
Sharon urged other young people living with Type 1 diabetes not to allow the condition to limit their ambitions, stressing the importance of family and community support, adherence to insulin therapy and proper self-management.
Another beneficiary, Ekun David, said his experience with the condition had been emotionally and physically challenging, but support from Talabi Diabetes Centre had helped him develop the courage to manage his condition.
“It has been a lot because I went through a lot of emotional and physical things. But with God and Talabi Diabetes Centre, they have helped us. They have given us courage to help ourselves more, encourage ourselves and treat our insulin well” David said.
He also encouraged other people living with Type 1 diabetes not to become depressed or feel stigmatised, saying proper management could enable them to live productive lives.
Meanwhile, Ayotunde appealed for more non-governmental organisations and stakeholders to join the campaign, saying greater collaboration would enable more Nigerians living with diabetes to receive support.
“Talabi Diabetes Centre is the only non-governmental organisation, non-profit organisation and the only primary diabetic care centre that we have in the country now,” she said, while calling for more organisations to support the cause.
“We want more NGOs and organisations so that we can reach out to other people. The more, the merrier. The work will be more intensive, will go further, and we’ll be able to reach other people that we have not been able to reach now,” she added.
The programme ended with the presentation of certificates to the beneficiaries, marking the conclusion of another year of education, empowerment and peer support for young people living with Type 1 diabetes in Ogun State.
