Johannesburg, South Africa, 20 July 2026 – Novo Nordisk gathered around 350 healthcare professionals from 15 African countries for the Pan-African REACH Summit 2026 in Cairo. Held from 17–19 June, the multi-event platform focused on strengthening cardiometabolic care and supporting healthcare systems responding to the growing burden of non-communicable diseases across the continent.
On 17 June, the Africa Digital Opinion Leaders (DOL) Summit brought together digital opinion leaders from across the continent for scientific exchange and practical training in responsible digital communication and patient-centred engagement. The sessions highlighted the growing role of digital platforms in strengthening disease awareness and supporting more informed patient dialogue.
On the same day, the Africa Rising Star Speaker Training focused on scientific communication for healthcare professionals, helping a new generation of African experts communicate clinical evidence clearly and effectively while supporting better patient communication and disease awareness.
The programme culminated on 18–19 June with the Africa Cardiometabolic Summit, the scientific centrepiece of REACH 2026. The summit focused on the evolving management of cardiometabolic diseases, including obesity and type 2 diabetes, and the need for more integrated, patient-centred care.
Sessions explored emerging clinical evidence, practical treatment strategies and the challenge of translating new data into routine care in diverse African healthcare settings. The summit also supported multidisciplinary dialogue, reinforcing the importance of earlier intervention, stronger collaboration across specialities, and more connected care pathways to improve outcomes for people living with cardiometabolic disease.
Professor Zaheer Bayat, Head of the Department of Internal Medicine at Helen Joseph Hospital, chaired scientific sessions and presented on risk identification and prevention in cardiometabolic disease, adding a South African perspective to discussions on obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular risk.
“Obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease are placing growing pressure on healthcare systems,” said Professor Bayat. “Responding effectively requires a more connected healthcare ecosystem, one that combines scientific evidence, cross-speciality collaboration and sustained investment in healthcare professional development.
As the need for diagnosis and care becomes more urgent, the REACH Summit supports the demand for an evolution in care and helps equip healthcare professionals to deliver more integrated, evidence-based care for patients across the continent.”
In South Africa, nearly one in ten adults is living with diabetes, affecting an estimated 4.5 million people, while up to half of those living with the condition may be unaware they have it. Diabetes has also become one of the leading causes of natural death in the country. South Africa has the highest obesity rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with more than half of adults classified as overweight or obese1,2.
Professor Bayat added: “South Africa is facing a growing burden of interconnected conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Many people remain undiagnosed until complications have already developed, which highlights the importance of earlier risk identification and intervention.
The REACH Summit is an opportunity for healthcare professionals to share knowledge, discuss emerging evidence and explore practical approaches to improving patient outcomes through more integrated care as the need continues to grow”
Professor Hani Sabbour, Assistant Professor of Cardiology, Brown University, United Arab Emirates, added, “At the REACH Summit, what we see is an exceptionally broad and comprehensive body of evidence that spans the entire cardiovascular, kidney and metabolic disease spectrum, while also highlighting the impact of obesity on liver disease and other obesity-related complications.
This evidence is particularly relevant to Africa, where the burden of premature cardiovascular disease remains unacceptably high and is increasingly linked to rising rates of obesity and metabolic dysfunction.”
Through initiatives such as REACH, Novo Nordisk continues to support scientific exchange and professional development among healthcare professionals across Africa.
About Novo Nordisk
Novo Nordisk is a leading global healthcare company founded in 1923 and headquartered in Denmark. Our purpose is to drive change to defeat serious chronic diseases built upon our heritage in diabetes. We do so by pioneering scientific breakthroughs, expanding access to our medicines and working to prevent and ultimately cure disease. Novo Nordisk employs about 67,900 people in 80 countries and markets its products in around 170 countries. For more information, visit novonordisk.com, Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn and YouTube.
