Source:  Agency Report

 Checking Blood Pressure

The Federal Government of Nigeria has raised the alarm that one in three adults in the country is living with hypertension, with many completely unaware of their condition—posing a serious threat to national health and development.

Dr. Salma Anas, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Health, made this known in Abuja on Monday during the 25th Annual Scientific Conference and General Meeting of the Nigerian Hypertension Society (NHS).

A Silent Killer, A National Burden

The conference, themed “Scaling up Hypertension Control in Nigeria: Policies, Health Systems and Practice,” highlighted the growing impact of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), especially undiagnosed hypertension.

Represented by Mr. Umar Tanko, Dr. Anas shared data showing that:

• 1 in 3 Nigerian adults is hypertensive
• Many are unaware of their condition
• Even among diagnosed patients, control rates remain alarmingly low

“Hypertension is not just a physical condition; it is a threat to national productivity, stability, and sustainable development,” she stated.

Why the Control Rate Is So Low

The FG attributed poor control rates to several factors:

• High cost of antihypertensive medications
• Inadequate access to primary healthcare
• Low levels of health insurance coverage
• Reliance on imported drugs and volatile exchange rates

FG Response: National Action for Hypertension Control

Dr. Anas outlined the Federal Government’s multi-pronged strategy to address the crisis, including:

• Integrating hypertension screening into primary healthcare systems
• Implementing health insurance reforms
• Launching a National Health Sector Strategic Development Plan
• Expanding the Global Action on Non-Communicable Diseases (GAC) platform
• Promoting local drug production to reduce treatment costs
• Ensuring the availability of high-quality, affordable medications

NHS: Less Than 10% Achieve Control

Speaking at the conference, Prof. Simon Isezuo, President of the Nigerian Hypertension Society, described hypertension as:

“A silent killer and a major public health challenge.”

He disclosed that fewer than 10% of treated patients in Nigeria manage to control their blood pressure, which has led to rising cases of:

• Stroke
• Heart failure
• Chronic kidney disease
• Sudden death

Isezuo called for:

• Greater public awareness
• Early detection
• Lower salt consumption
• Regular exercise like walking, jogging, or swimming

Drug Cost, Local Production & Insurance

Also speaking, Prof. Batsen Onwubere highlighted the chronic nature of hypertension and the high cost of lifelong treatment in Nigeria, primarily due to:

• Reliance on imported drugs
• Unstable exchange rates

He praised FG efforts to boost local pharmaceutical production and called for the expansion of health insurance coverage, currently too limited to make a national impact.