Heart disease, stroke have double cancer cases in Nigeria ― Dr Ogah

As Nigeria joins other nation of the world to mark World Heart Day, President, Nigerian Cardiac Society, Dr Okechukwu Ogah has raised the alarm on increasing cases of heart disease in Nigeria, saying that incidence of stroke and heart disease has double the number of cancer cases in the country.

Dr Ogah, in a press statement to mark the day, said it is now a concern because one out of every five adult Nigerian aged between 30 and 70 years will probably die from such non-infectious diseases as stroke and heart disease.

Ogah stated that in Nigeria, among non-infectious causes of death, cardiovascular disease, of which heart disease is one, is the single most important contributor to death.

He declared, “the hitherto almost non-existent cases of heart attacks are now seen more often in the hospitals.

Unfortunately, health care financing in Nigeria is grossly inadequate with limited facilities for diagnosis and treatment across the nation.”

He stated that the increase in heart disease may not be connected to the current lifestyle that favour physical inactivity and consumption of unhealthy diets rich in dietary salt.

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The expert said it was a misinformation in the social media that high blood cholesterol is unharmful, especially in the presence of other risk factors for heart disease such as hypertension that is prevalent in the country.

The Nigerian Cardiac Society, he said, had been working with the global cardiac community to increase public awareness on heart-healthy lifestyles choices, which include quitting smoking, engaging in physical activities, eating right and regular medical checkups including blood pressure check despite any apparent ill health.

Meanwhile, The University College Hospital in marking the World heart day provided free medical check-ups for people at the Bodija market as part of an effort to increase awareness on heart disease and its prevention.

At the event, which affording over 100 market men and women access to a free medical checkup, Mrs Grace Adekoya, a public health nurse said every year, 17.5 million people die from cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke.

She stated that high blood pressure is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease, stressing that contributory factors to raised blood pressure included high salt intake and stress.

With a low salt diet, she said that blood pressure values can be reduced by at least 10mmHg.