The Nigerian Cardiac Society (NCS) has urged the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to include cardiovascular disease treatment to ease the rising financial burden on affected Nigerian patients.

President of the Society, Augustine Odili, made the call in Abuja on Wednesday at the 54th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference, held alongside the 17th Biennial Pan African Society of Cardiology (PASCAR) Conference.

The conference, themed “Cost-Effective Interventions for Mitigating the Burden of Cardiovascular Diseases in Africa,” highlighted the urgent need for affordable care and sustainable heart health interventions across the continent.

Mr Odili noted that the cost of managing cardiovascular diseases was far beyond the means of most Nigerians, especially when treatments such as open-heart surgery cost as much as N12 million.

He added that a few Nigerians had recently supported the society in conducting open-heart and interventional cardiology procedures, stressing that government backing was essential for long-term sustainability in heart health.

“We are calling on government to make it more sustainable so we can build a heart-healthy society,” Mr Odili said.

He further recommended integrating cardiovascular prevention into primary healthcare, controlling risk factors such as smoking and obesity, and embracing innovations such as telemedicine to improve access to quality cardiac care.

Mr Odili also warned that cardiovascular diseases were rising astronomically in Africa, demanding a multisectoral approach that involved communities, hospitals, and policy decisions beyond the clinical environment and tertiary institutions.

“Government must look at the prevention of cardiovascular diseases as a national priority,” he added, highlighting the need for proactive strategies at all levels of governance and care.

Immediate past NCS President, Okechukwu Ogah, said the society created national cardiac registers to provide a baseline for understanding cardiovascular health conditions and trends across Nigeria’s diverse population.

“We formed several task forces to tackle cardiovascular challenges in Nigeria. We also produced a valuable database and documents now used even at international fora,” Mr Ogah explained.

Mr Ogah identified hypertension as Nigeria’s leading killer, affecting more than 30 per cent of adults nationwide, and emphasised the urgent need to expand early intervention and consistent treatment across all regions.

He stated, “We worked with the Federal Government to develop task-shifting guidelines, allowing trained primary healthcare workers to treat hypertension, given the shortage of doctors.”

Chair of the opening ceremony and Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Fatima Kyari, stressed that cardiovascular diseases were harming individuals, families, and national development.

“We come together as clinicians, researchers, policymakers, and partners with a shared vision to reduce the burden of cardiovascular diseases in Nigeria, Africa, and globally,” she stated.

Ms Kyari stressed the need for Nigeria to keep pace with global advancements in cardiovascular medicine, stressing that real people lie behind every statistic and deserve education and accessible treatment options.

President of PASCAR, Elijah Ogola, reaffirmed the association’s dedication to improving cardiovascular health across Africa, serving as the umbrella body for national cardiac societies across the continent.

“We continuously update healthcare workers, not just doctors and cardiologists, but the full spectrum of professionals, because every role matters in delivering quality heart care,” Mr Ogola noted.

He highlighted the importance of public education and health literacy, noting that successful public health efforts required communities to be empowered to take responsibility for their cardiovascular well-being.

Mr Ogola also stressed the need for data-driven decisions, emphasising that sound clinical practice and policy development must be rooted in strong research and national data to be truly effective.

The conference gathered heart experts, researchers, policymakers, civil society actors, industry leaders, and advocates for cardiovascular health from across Africa and beyond. (NAN)