Controlling diabetes and hypertension in sub-Saharan Africa: lessons from HIV programmes.

The prevalences of diabetes and hypertension have risen sharply in sub-Saharan Africa, but only a minority of people living with these conditions receive regular care and among those who do, glycaemia and blood pressure are generally poorly controlled. 1 , 2 Diabetes and hypertension can be effectively controlled, 1 , 3 but complications from these two conditions are estimated to be responsible for up to 2 million premature deaths in sub-Saharan Africa each year. 4 Diabetes and hypertension programmes in Africa could learn lessons from HIV programmes that are also relevant for other non-communicable diseases in low-income and middle-income settings.