A Professor of Medicine at the University of Lagos, Olufemi Fasanmade, has cautioned Nigerians with diabetes to avoid unregistered medications, warning that they can lead to treatment failure and worsening health conditions.

Speaking at a media roundtable organized by Novo Nordisk to mark World Diabetes Day 2024, Fasanmade highlighted the dangers of using unapproved antidiabetic drugs, especially those with foreign labels. He urged patients to purchase medications with NAFDAC registration and from approved suppliers.

Fasanmade also advised patients to consult their doctors if medication costs become a burden and emphasized proper storage of drugs and reporting of suspected counterfeit products.

He commended the federal government for waiving import duties on antidiabetic drugs and urged more efforts to prioritize diabetes care, including free screenings, subsidized treatments, and integration into health insurance schemes.

According to him, diabetes affects over four million Nigerians, with the number expected to double in the next two decades. He revealed that the condition caused an estimated 54,000 deaths in 2024.