Chairman of the Abuja branch of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Mr. Ifeanyi Ikebudu, has declared that 72 percent of Nigeria’s population is hypertensive.
Ikebudu stated this at a sensitisation outreach in Abuja yesterday to commemorate this year’s World Hypertension Day, which is marked every may 17.
He said this year’s theme: “Measure your blood pressure accurately, control it, live longer” is very strategic, since it emphasised the need for regular and accurate checking of blood pressure, while seeking to create awareness on the dangers of neglecting certain fundamental health measures that can make a lot of difference.
Ikebudu also stated that cardiovascular accidents are the leading cause of deaths worldwide and revealed that Nigeria ranks very high in the list of countries with the highest population of hypertension cases.
“According to a 2019 statistics report, 17.9 million people died from cardiovascular accidents globally. Of this number, 85% died of heart attack and stroke. Unfortunately, 75% of deaths arising from cardiovascular accidents occur in low and middle-income countries of which Nigeria is one.
“Bringing this closer home, according to the 2021 statistics, an estimated 76.2 million Nigerians or 38 per cent of the national population were hypertensive. Meanwhile, of this number, only 23 million or 30% of this affected population are taking medications,” averred Ikebudu
The PSN chair said there is widespread apathy among sufferers and potential sufferers of hypertension towards checking their blood pressures regularly and accurately and harped on the need for all adults who are at least 40 years, to take their health seriously and avoid falling victim to hypertension which he referred to as the “silent killer.”
