The incidence of diabetes and hypertension has risen sharply in sub-Saharan Africa alongside a continuing high burden of HIV-infection. In many settings, the prevalence figures among adults are 4-5% for diabetes, above 25% for hypertension and 5-20% for HIVinfection. All these conditions require life-long treatment and they have increased substantially the demand for chronic care services in Africa, where health systems have, until recently, focussed on tackling acute infectious diseases
