Nearly 19% of Sri Lanka’s population is affected by diabetes, Deputy Minister of Health Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni has revealed, warning that the actual prevalence could be even higher.
Speaking at an event held in Colombo to mark World Diabetes Day, Dr. Wijemuni said approximately one in every five Sri Lankans had been identified as having diabetes, highlighting the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) on the country’s healthcare system.
“Diabetes is one of the biggest challenges facing Sri Lanka’s healthcare sector. We have identified approximately one in every five people in our population as suffering from diabetes. In numerical terms, this accounts for around 19% of the population. However, the actual figure could be even higher,” he said.
The Deputy Minister noted that although Sri Lanka had performed well across several key health indicators, the country continued to lag behind in preventing NCDs, particularly diabetes and hypertension.
He attributed part of the problem to the tendency among individuals to assume they were healthy simply because they did not experience any symptoms.
“Many people tend to believe that they are not suffering from any illness. It is particularly important to detect conditions such as diabetes and hypertension at an early stage,” he said.
Dr. Wijemuni urged the public to undergo regular medical examinations, even in the absence of symptoms, stressing that early diagnosis and appropriate treatment could significantly reduce the risk of serious complications.
He warned that diabetes, which could often be managed through relatively inexpensive medication, could lead to severe health complications and costly medical procedures if left undetected or uncontrolled.
“Falling ill does not affect only the individual but also the country as a whole. Ultimately, it places a considerable burden on the healthcare system,” he said.
The Deputy Minister emphasised that preventing complications was essential not only to safeguard patients’ quality of life but also to reduce the economic burden on the State.
He further revealed that a substantial allocation had been made in this year’s Budget to strengthen public awareness of NCDs.
“Our foremost priority should be the early detection of diseases. Having to identify them only after complications have developed would be difficult for a country like ours to bear,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Diabetes Association President and Consultant Physician Dr. Manilka Sumanatilleke said more than 15% of the country’s adult population was affected by diabetes.
He further revealed that the prevalence was particularly concerning in the Colombo District, where approximately one in every four adults was living with the condition.
The figures cited by the two medical professionals underscore growing concerns over diabetes prevalence in Sri Lanka, although their estimates refer to different population groups.
