The City of Johannesburg in partnership with the Gauteng Department of Health and the Wits Health Consortium launched the Blue Buildings for Diabetes campaign at the Constitution Hill Human Rights Precinct on 10 November 2022.

Blue is the official colour for World Diabetes Day. The lighting-up of buildings such as the City of Johannesburg’s Council Chambers and the two towers at Constitution Hill is expected to spark conversations around the right to healthcare and access to health care services, with a focus on urban settings where there is a higher prevalence of diabetes.

Managing diabetes takes more than medicine. To successfully manage the condition, the continuous education of patients, caregivers, clinicians, governments, and policymakers is paramount.

Three quarters of people living with diabetes live in low- and middle-income countries, such as South Africa. The need to ensure diabetes can be effectively diagnosed and managed in South Africa becomes an important factor to creating further awareness in preventing the disease from affecting more people.

The ceremony was attended by the Gauteng MEC of Health Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, Sara Norcross, Vice-President & General Manager at Novo Nordisk SA and senior officials from the City of Joburg.

Nkomo-Ralehoko said: “Diabetes is increasing at a concerning rate globally. An estimated 537 million adults in the world are living with diabetes – a figure that is expected to go up to 783 million by 2045. Together, we can find solutions that help to reduce health inequities and drive change for healthier cities.”

The Cities Changing Diabetes 2 Programme in the City of Joburg is an example of what can be achieved through public-private-partnerships, and we commit to strengthening our response to urban diabetes, Nkomo-Ralehoko said.

Written by Ayanda Radebe

11/11/2022​