Members of the Hypertension Society of Nigeria on Saturday offered free blood pressure measurement and tests to 600 persons in Sokoto State as part of activities marking the 2024 World Hypertension Day.

A team of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other auxiliary health workers conducted the exercise at the Sultan Ward Model Primary School in Alkanci, Sokoto.

MediSuite Hospital led by its Medical Director, Dr Tukur Muhammad, donated free drugs offered to eligible persons after the measurements and tests.

Earlier, the society’s National President, Prof. Simeon Isezuo, led the team on a road walk along some township roads as part of efforts to sensitise the citizens to the dangers of hypertension.

Addressing journalists, Mr Isezuo said the society was established to promote awareness, prevention, early detection, treatment and control of hypertension and encourage research on the area.

He said, “Hypertension is so common in Nigeria that everyone is either affected or has someone that is affected.”

Mr Isezuo stated that many people with hypertension were unaware of having the condition, saying, “Only few of those who are aware enrol in treatment or are properly treated.To demonstrate the danger, I measured someone  today having 211 over 112 blood pressure, and the person was unaware of his condition until the during the present outreach programme. Many persons were detected by my fellow members and enrolled them on medication as well as referred for routine checks at the hospitals.”

The president noted that hypertension was a driver of non-communicable diseases, leading to stroke, heart failure, chronic kidney disease and heart attack, with attendant mortality and disability.

He solicited the support of the media in creating awareness on hypertension.

Mr Isezuo said, “It has silently killed and disabled many Nigerians in their productive years more than any disease.”

He expressed concern on the rising cost of medicines in Nigeria and commended the Federal Government for prioritising the health sector and its plan to pool the procurement of medicines.

Mr Isezuo described the efforts as apt, timely, and suitable for achieving Universal Health Coverage.

He urged the private sector and philanthropists to endow funds for enrolling less-privileged Nigerians with hypertension into the health insurance scheme.

The president called for the reactivation of traditional Africans’ active lifestyles and consumption of traditional diets derived from roots, stem and leaves.

According to him, this should be done with little or no salt, sugar or saturated fats as means of preventing hypertension.

In his remark, Mr Muhammad Tukur, who described the event as succour to the less- privileged persons, added that the society sponsored the exercise to augment the efforts of society.

A cross-section of beneficiaries expressed excitement over the gesture, noting that they underwent free blood pressure measurement and sugar level test and received free drugs.

(NAN)