World Diabetes Day provides us with the opportunity to reflect on the effects of diabetes around the world particularly developing country communities.

The theme for this year’s commemoration “Women and diabetes – our right to a healthy future” is apt. If women are healthy, it will ultimately affect the entire community and nations positively.

The saying goes “if you educate a boy, you educate an individual. If you educate a girl, you educate a community”.

The key to having a diabetes free Africa is actively engaging women in efforts that promote behavioral change that leads to diabetes prevention.