# Type 2 diabetes: signs, risks and when to get checked in Kenya

_Type 2 diabetes means your body cannot use insulin properly, so blood sugar stays too high. Signs, risk factors, screening and next steps in Kenya._

Canonical: https://guides.mywellnesshealth.co.ke/health/type-2-diabetes

Author: My Wellness Health, Editorial team · Reviewed by: the My Wellness Health clinical team on 7 Oct 2026

Last updated: 7 Oct 2026 · Published by My Wellness Health — Preventive Healthcare & Care Navigation

> Type 2 diabetes means your body cannot use insulin properly, so blood sugar stays too high. It develops slowly, often without symptoms, and can damage the eyes, kidneys, nerves and heart over time. When signs do appear, they can include feeling very thirsty; urinating often, including at night; and tiredness.

**Kenyan adults with diabetes:** 2.4%
_Many more are undiagnosed or have prediabetes (3.1%). Kenya STEPwise survey 2015._

**Type 2 diabetes: at a glance**

| Who should get checked | How it is checked | How we help | Fee |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Everyone from age 35: a blood sugar test | Fasting blood sugar or HbA1c | Diabetes risk assessment | Hypertension and diabetes assessment, KES 200 |

## Type 2 diabetes: signs, risks and when to get checked in Kenya: your questions answered

**Q: What is type 2 diabetes?**

A: Type 2 diabetes means your body cannot use insulin properly, so blood sugar stays too high. It develops slowly, often without symptoms, and can damage the eyes, kidneys, nerves and heart over time.

**Q: What are the signs of type 2 diabetes?**

A: Often no symptoms for years. Feeling very thirsty. Urinating often, including at night. Tiredness. Blurred vision. Wounds that heal slowly and frequent infections. Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet.

**Q: Who is most at risk?**

A: Overweight, especially around the waist. A parent or sibling with diabetes. Age, especially from 35. Little physical activity. High blood pressure or high cholesterol. Diabetes during a past pregnancy, or a baby weighing more than 4 kg. Polycystic ovary syndrome, HIV, TB, or long use of steroids or some antipsychotic medicines.

**Q: When should I see a doctor?**

A: Extreme thirst, confusion, vomiting, fast breathing or drowsiness in someone with high sugar needs urgent care.

**Q: How is type 2 diabetes checked?**

A: With fasting blood sugar or HbA1c. Everyone from age 35: a blood sugar test.

**Q: What happens after a high-risk result?**

A: A fasting blood sugar or HbA1c test. A repeat test on another day to confirm. A clinical review and a plan: diet, activity and, if needed, medicine. Checks of blood pressure, eyes, feet and kidneys. A risk result is not a diagnosis.

**Q: What should I ask my doctor?**

A: Which test do I need: fasting sugar or HbA1c? Am I in the prediabetes range, and can I bring it back to normal? What should I eat, given the foods I usually cook? Should I test my sugar at home? What other checks do I need?

**Q: What does it cost?**

A: Blood sugar tests are quick and widely available. My Wellness Health packages include free blood sugar monitoring.

**Q: How can My Wellness Health help?**

A: The diabetes risk assessment asks about 44 questions: past blood sugar tests, family history, weight and waist, diet and activity, pregnancy history, and conditions and medicines that raise risk such as HIV, TB, steroids and some antipsychotics. It tells you whether a fasting sugar or HbA1c test is due. It costs KES 200. A care navigator calls you back within 2 hours (Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm) to book what you need at a facility that suits your budget and location.

This page is health information to help you understand risks and next steps. It is not a diagnosis and does not replace a consultation with a qualified clinician. My Wellness Health is not a diagnostic service: we help you understand your risk and connect you with the right screening and care. In an emergency, go to the nearest hospital or call 999 or 112. If you are thinking of harming yourself, call Befrienders Kenya on +254 722 178 177 or the Kenya Red Cross toll-free line 1199.

## Sources

- [My Wellness Health](https://www.mywellnesshealth.co.ke/)
- [Diabetes and prediabetes in Kenya: Kenya STEPwise survey 2015 (BMC Public Health, 2018)](https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/s12889-018-6053-x)
- [Ministry of Health Kenya, Protocols for Management of Selected NCDs at Primary Care (2025)](https://health.go.ke/sites/default/files/2025-07/FINAL_NCD%20protocols.pdf)

## More on this condition

- [How to lower your risk of type 2 diabetes](https://guides.mywellnesshealth.co.ke/health/type-2-diabetes/prevention)
- [Type 2 diabetes screening in Kenya: who, when and which test](https://guides.mywellnesshealth.co.ke/health/type-2-diabetes/screening)