Improving diabetes mellitus care in Nigeria – health promotion and education perspectives

Introduction and aim. In this review, we suggest ways to improve diabetes mellitus (DM) care in Nigeria from a Health Promotion and Education (HPE) perspective by addressing the gap in DM care through the adoption of strategies from the Ottawa Charter and National Health Promotion Policy (NHPP) guidelines. Material and methods. This review conducted a comprehensive literature search on Africa Journal Online, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct, from 1986 to 2023, using relevant keywords. Analysis of the literature. The adoption of the Ottawa charter and NHPP remains a key strategy in addressing the gap in DM care in Nigeria. This could be achieved by the adoption of population-focused multi-sectoral interventions encompassing legislation, regulation, and fiscal measures, creating sustaining and expanding health-promoting environments to reduce modifiable risk factors, and reorienting the primary health care services to aid the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of DM patients. Conclusion. This review concluded that the government and other critical stakeholders should adopt the HPE strategies that covers increased financing, strict legislation on DM modifiable risk factors, reorientation of the primary healthcare system, and capacity building for HPE practitioners into DM care in Nigeria as a strategy to improving DM care and prevention in Nigeria.