Diabetes in newly diagnosed Zanzibari patients: 1986-1989

Few data exist on the impact of diabetes mellitus, particularly the insulin-dependent subtype, in many parts of Africa. The importance of diabetes as a public health problem in the East African Islands of Zanzibar was assessed through prospective registration of all newly diagnosed diabetic individuals who attended the diabetic clinic at Mnazimmoja Hospital from January 1986 to December 1989. A total of 323 diabetic patients, 192 men and 131 women, were diagnosed. Two hundred fifty-three (78.3%) individuals had noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), 61 (18.9%) had insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), and 9 (2.8%) had diabetes of uncertain type. Two hundred twenty-six (70%) of the patients were town residents, 62 (19.2%) had office jobs, and 84 (26%) were laborers. The majority of the patients presented with the classic symptoms of diabetes. A positive family history of diabetes was found in 35 (13.8%) and 4 (6.6%) of the NIDDM and IDDM cases respectively. Hypertension was diagnosed in 29 (11.5%) of all NIDDM individuals while obesity was present in only 41 (16.2%) of all NIDDM patients. These data suggest that diabetes is a problem of major public health importance in the Islands of Zanzibar.