At least five per cent have elevated blood glucose, data from the ministry of health shows.
Of greater concern is that only 40 per cent of them are currently on treatment and follow-up and more than 87 per cent of Kenyans have never had their blood sugar measured.
Kenya on Monday joined the rest of the world to commemorate this World Diabetes Day 2022.
The day was spearheaded by WHO and other partners in 1991 in response to the growing concern about the escalating health threat posed by diabetes.
The theme for this year’s theme is “Access to Diabetes Care; If Not Now, When?” Focus on Diabetes Education.
According to the director of preventive and promotive health at the ministry Andrew Mulwa, persons living with diabetes are more susceptible to severe illness from COVID-19, especially if their blood sugar is not well controlled.
“Diabetes is a manageable condition, and with the right treatment, persons living with diabetes can live long and productive lives free of complications,” Mulwa said.
“However, it is unacceptable that only 40 per cent of those who have ever been diagnosed with diabetes are currently on medication,” he added.
The World Health Organisation warns that elevated levels of blood glucose (or blood sugar) lead over time to serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves.
The global health agency identifies type 2 diabetes as the most common, usually in adults and it occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin or doesn't make enough insulin.
Type 1 diabetes, once known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin by itself.
For people living with diabetes, access to affordable treatment, including insulin, is critical to their survival.
There is a globally agreed target to halt the rise in diabetes and obesity by 2025.
It is further estimated that about 422 million people worldwide have diabetes, the majority living in low-and middle-income countries, and 1.5 million deaths are directly attributed to diabetes each year.
