North-central States Recording High Prevalence of Hypertension Diabetes, Says Fasawe 

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja 

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Abuja has said that the capital city and other parts of the North-central states are witnessing one of the highest numbers of cases of hypertension and diabetes in the country.

It also said that the report showed more than 40 per cent of Nigerians who present themselves for screening are unaware of their health status.

Speaking to journalists during the flag-off ceremony in Abuja, FCT’s Mandate Secretary for Health Services and the Environment Secretariat, Adedolapo Fasawe, who represented the Minister of the FCT, said the nationwide seven-day free screening exercise is meant to screen residents for hypertension, diabetes as well other related ailments.

She said the health campaign was aimed at addressing the dangers posed by non-communicable diseases among residents of the capital city.

Fasawe said: “Non-communicable diseases are on the increase globally not only in Nigeria but interestingly a study showed that North-central Nigeria where we are has one of the highest prevalences of hypertension and diabetes in Nigeria and that is why we must pay special attention to our numbers”. 

 According to her, the programme tagged: ‘Know Your Number, Control Your Number’, aims at providing free screening for blood pressure and blood sugar levels for residents of Abuja as part of a renewed campaign to combat non-communicable diseases.

The Mandate Secretary said the exercise would run from October 28 to November 3, 2024.

She added that the campaign aims to screen 10 million Nigerians nationwide for blood pressure and blood sugar levels to combat non-communicable diseases, which often progress without noticeable symptoms and kill people in silence.

“I say again, the essence of this programme is to the benefit of the residents of FCT.

Non-communicable diseases are globally on the increase, not only here in Nigeria, but interestingly, a study shows that north central Nigeria, where we are, has one of the highest prevalences of hypertension and diabetes in Nigeria. And that is why we must pay special attention to our numbers. 

“Your number is not your phone number. Your number is your blood pressure and your blood sugar. Younger people are dropping dead.

We are hearing stories of, oh, he was just going to walk and he slumped. More and more, hypertension is revealing itself as a silent killer. 

“We call it a silent killer because most times, especially in the early stages

 if you don’t have complications, you may not even know that you have high blood pressure.

“A study in Nigeria showed that 40 per cent of the people that are currently in the register did not even know they had high blood pressure until they came across a programme like this. 

“So it is life-saving and best of all, it is free. Diabetes is a condition that is also a non-communicable disease,” she said.