Diabetes and NCDs: Private Sector Urged to Invest More in Prevention

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Extract from the article: The mobilization of the private sector to ensure sustainable financing for non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention programs was the focus of a presentation delivered online via Zoom on July 31, during the third edition of the Month of Education on

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The mobilization of the private sector to ensure sustainable financing for non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention programs was the focus of a presentation delivered online via Zoom on July 31, during the third edition of the Month of Education on Diabetes and Its Complications. The initiative was organized by the Association Jeunes Intellect pour la Sécurité Alimentaire au Togo (JISA-Togo) with the support of its partners.

The presentation was led by Malikatou Djermakoye, a development economist and expert in strategic advocacy for health policies in Africa. It highlighted the challenges of financing NCD prevention at a time when official development assistance is declining and several technical and financial partners are gradually reducing their support.

According to the speaker, this changing global health financing landscape requires African countries to rethink their resource mobilization strategies in order to build more resilient health systems based on sustainable domestic financing.

During her presentation, Malikatou Djermakoye outlined the current situation, emphasizing the urgent need to diversify health financing sources. She explained that non-communicable diseases—including diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases—are not only a major public health challenge but also a significant obstacle to economic development.

She noted that these diseases impose substantial costs on households, reduce business productivity, and place increasing pressure on public finances. In this context, prevention should be viewed as a sound investment capable of lowering future healthcare costs while improving people's well-being.

Strengthening Partnerships with Businesses

The presentation also highlighted the private sector's limited involvement in financing NCD prevention. According to the speaker, this situation is mainly due to the lack of well-structured projects, transparent resource management mechanisms, and effective tools to measure tangible results.

However, she pointed out that experiences from several countries demonstrate that strong partnerships can be built between governments, businesses, and civil society organizations when initiatives are based on clearly defined objectives, transparent governance, and measurable impact.

With this in mind, the speaker presented several sustainable financing options, including the establishment of dedicated NCD prevention funds, the development of public-private partnerships, the strengthening of corporate social responsibility (CSR), and the use of economic analysis to demonstrate the return on investment in disease prevention.

The presentation concluded with a call for all stakeholders to engage in a collective effort to make the private sector a genuine strategic partner in the prevention of non-communicable diseases and to develop more sustainable financing mechanisms in support of public health across Africa.

Malikatou Djermakoye is the founder and coordinator of the Nigerien Alliance Against Non-Communicable Diseases (ALIAMNT), established in 2019 to promote more equitable health policies and foster sustainable partnerships among governments, the private sector, civil society, and international partners. Through the organization's activities, nearly 1,200 young people have been educated about NCD risk factors. More than ten community initiatives combining physical activity with hypertension and diabetes screening have also been implemented, alongside support programs for people living with cancer.

William O.