Epidemiology of Diabetes Mellitus in a Referral Hospital in a Tropical Developing Country

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus has previovsly been said to be uncommon in the tropics1). Clinicians in these reginos are, however, treating a rapidly increasing number of diabetic patients, thus necessitating establishment of diabetic clinics in major hospitals. In Kenya, a diabetic clinic was started at Kenyatta National Hospital in 1966. By 1970 the clinic was functioning predominantly as a referral unit. The following is an account of the incidence and prevalence of diabetes mellitus at the clinic during the years 1970 to 1979.