The federal government on Friday unveiled the Cardiac Emergency Response Box, otherwise known as Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), to respond to heart emergencies such as cardiac arrest.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, inaugurated the three devices in Abuja in commemoration of the 2023 World Heart Day.

Mr Pate, represented by the Minister of State, Tunji Alausa, said the boxes would be deployed at appropriate designated high-population areas such as airports.

According to him, AEDs are portable, life-saving medical devices to revive sudden heart arrest.

He cited the World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics showing that Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) are the foremost cause of death globally, with an estimated 17.9 million deaths yearly.

“The 2018 WHO NCDs Country Profiles show that NCDs accounted for 29 per cent of all deaths in Nigeria, with CVDs responsible for 11 per cent of all the NCD deaths.

“The country profile also shows that the risk of dying prematurely from NCDs in Nigeria is 22 per cent.

“Premature mortality, in this instance, is defined as death occurring between ages 30 and 70 years from any of the common NCDs,” the minister stated.

He said that although the FMOH is currently conducting the National Steps Survey of NCDs, several pockets of studies in Nigeria report various incidences and prevalence of CVDs, such as hypertension, at a prevalence greater than 30 per cent.

He put stroke at 25.9 per 100,000 persons yearly between 2000 and 2015, coronary heart disease prevalence at 0.7 per cent, and rheumatic heart disease, a disease of the socio-economically disadvantaged, at 27 per 1,000 children.

Mr Pate also noted that the morbidity and mortality of CVDs in Nigeria are underestimated because of inadequate awareness and health-seeking behaviours, limited screening, diagnostic and therapeutic services, and poor data repository.

He, however, said that in response to the burden of CVDs, the federal government instituted several strategic interventions at the Tertiary, Secondary, and Primary Health Care (PHC) levels over the years.

They include the development of the National NCDs Policy and Multi-Sectoral Action Plan, an offshoot of the Policy and Multi-Sectoral Action Plan 2019-2025.

Also, the National Tobacco Control Act 2015 and Regulations 2019 are being implemented to reduce tobacco consumption and exposure to second-hand smoke in Nigeria.

He also urged Nigerians to eat a healthy diet containing a minimum of three to five servings of various fresh fruits and vegetables each day.

(NAN)