Nigerian govt launches campaign against hypertension, diabetes in Ekiti

The Nigerian government on Tuesday in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State capital, flagged off the ‘Project 10 Million Campaign’ against hypertension and diabetes tagged: “Know Your Number, Control Your Number”.

This is a national initiative by the forum of health commissioners in the country, which is aimed at tackling the increasing prevalence of hypertension and diabetes.

The Governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Oyebanji, who launched the project, expressed readiness to tackle the increase in the number of hypertension and diabetes patients in the state, saying this accounted for why the state keyed into the by the federal government to reduce the scourges.

Statistics

Mr Oyebanji lamented that over 70 per cent of mortality being suffered by people between ages 30 and 70 were caused by hypertension and diabetes, which he said make them the most notorious killers of the Nigerian productive population.

Mr Oyebanji, represented by the Deputy Governor, Monisade Afuye, said Ekiti was combining the ‘Project 10 Million initiative’ with an innovative state intervention to rapidly increase demand for primary health care services in the state, that is key to achieving universal health coverage for the people.

The governor posited that it was highly depressing and disturbing that there is an increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases in the country due to various factors, including changes in our lifestyle, saying 27% of deaths in the country are caused by non-communicable diseases.

The governor said: “There is a 70 per cent chance of dying from hypertension and diabetes between the ages of 30 and 70 years in Nigeria. Despite these alarming statistics, a lot of people are not aware of their status as far as these health conditions are concerned, making them a silent threat to their health and well-being.

“We hope to conduct free screening for about 200,000 people in Ekiti State for hypertension and diabetes within the week-long campaign in 161 screening centres across the state from Monday, 28 October to Sunday, 3 November, with a focus on adults from age 18 years”.

The governor stated that counselling will be organised for all participants on non-communicable diseases and that the newly diagnosed people will be linked to a hospital closest to them for care, saying there will also be an opportunity for short-term refills for known hypertension patients during the exercise.

Achievements

Cataloguing his achievements in the health sector, Mr Oyebanji disclosed that his government had through a programme named “Ulera Wa,” expanded free antenatal care services, free delivery and post-delivery care services for all pregnant women, free immunisation services for all children, free treatment of all children under the age of five years, among others.

The governor appealed to traditional leaders, religious organisations, market women, local government leaders, health workers, and civil society organisations, to support the intervention and ensure its success in their various jurisdictions.

Commissioner speaks

In his submission, the Commissioner for Health, Oyebanji Filani, said the rationale behind the free screening was to checkmate the frightening and spiralling level of hypertension and diabetes across the country, Ekiti inclusive.

Mr Filani revealed that statistics confirmed that about 27 per cent of morbidity rate in the country was due to the scourges of hypertension and diabetes, which he said makes it imperative for the citizens to participate in the free health programme.

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He said; “Our mission in Ekiti State is to spread this campaign to as many people as possible, to know the number of victims and to be able to control it. With the primary healthcare programme, we are planning to ensure that children of less than five years have access to immunisation and pregnant women are made to have access to pregnancy kits and strong antenatal care to reduce infant and maternal mortality rates”.

The commissioner said the programme will be extended to palaces of traditional rulers, schools, market places and faith-based institutions, where citizens can access without inhibition.