Experts Highlight Self-Monitoring as Key Focus on World Hypertension Day

To mark this year’s World Hypertension Day, the Nigerian Heart Foundation, NHF, has harped on self-monitoring of High Blood Pressure, HBP, even as it called for collective efforts to address the burden of the disease in the country.

Speaking during a press conference in Lagos to mark the day, the Executive Director of NHF, Dr Kingsley Akinroye, stressed the need for Nigerians to embrace self-monitoring of HBP as the disease most times does not give warning signs.

Akinroye who stressed the need to promote HBP self-monitoring apparatus also stressed the need for the Nigerian government to invest in preventive measures to the silent killer.

Stating that adequate funding should be put in place for the Primary Healthcare system to integrate the control of hypertension with other diseases, he encouraged state governors to invest in the Basic Primary Health Care Fund, BPHCF.

“The prevalence of hypertension continues to increase gradually and government must put measures in place to ensure Nigerians have access to treatment.  Nigerians must also check their Blood Pressure regularly and maintain a healthy lifestyle,” Akinroye said.

Addressing journalists, Chairman of the NHF Hypertension Committee, Prof. Basden Onuwubere, who said many Nigerians were at risk of hypertension disclosed that a new research has shown that more women are affected than men.

Onwubere noted that in 2021, it was estimated that hypertension affects 39 per cent of adult ages 30 -79 years old which amount for close to 70 million people of the population, with a higher burden in women.

The Committee Chairman who said massive awareness was need to drive HBP message across communities in Nigeria said: “A nationwide survey published about two decades ago puts the awareness about hypertension at 30 per cent and recent publications have not shown any significant improvement in this regard.  This low level of awareness has given it the name ‘Silent Killer’ and young people are more prone because of their increasing exposure to unhealthy diet, high salt intake, tobacco, overweight among others.”

He said the risk factors are some of the major causes of hypertension, hence, the need for government to prioritise issues around some of the health challenges in the country.

Speaking on the theme of the day: “Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer”, he said Nigerians should check their blood pressure regularly as hypertension does not give any sign like diabetes or other non-communicable diseases.

Onwubere added that the NHF had been in the forefront of activities to control Non-Communicable Diseases, NCDs, as hypertension remains the leading disease on the list.

Speaking, a representative of New Height Pharmacy, marketers of Omron medical devices, Mr Ebenezer Olayinka said that the company was partnering NHF to create more awareness on