NCDs, leading cause of premature deaths in Nigeria —Health minister

HEALTH Minister, Professor Isaac Adewole has urged Nigerians to adopt healthy lifestyles to stem the rising tide of cardiovascular and other Non communicable diseases (NCDs), warning that these were now the leading cause of premature deaths in Nigeria.

Adewole spoke in Lagos during the First Annual Black Tie Gala by the Tristate Heart Foundation (THF) to raise N500million in support of cardiovascular care in Nigeria.

According to him, sudden deaths are commonplace in Nigeria and majority of these are probably due to heart attack, stroke or diabetic complications.

He said that heart attacks and strokes alone accounted for 80 per cent of all the cardiovascular (CVD) deaths, and together are top three causes of years of life lost due to premature death.

The Minister named hypertension as the leading CVD in Nigeria, adding that “one out of every five Nigerians is hypertensive.”

“Current hospital records estimates showed that the prevalence of hypertension is 25 per cent while estimated mortality from stroke is between 40 and 50 per cent within the first three months of diagnosis.

“Another hospital based study showed that 39 per cent of those who survived stroke after three months died within 12 months and the remaining 12 per cent developed severe disability,” he stated.

He expressed concern that more than half of those with elevated blood pressure are not aware of their situation and described this as frightening because the dire consequence of neglected hypertension is stroke without warning.

The Minister quoted WHO saying that economic loss from heart disease, stroke and diabetes alone will rise from US$400 million in 2005 to US$8 billion in the next 10 years if drastic and sustained actions are not taken to stem them.

The minister identified risk facts for non-communicable deceases (NCDs), with particular reference to cardiovascular deceases, as use of tobacco products, unhealthy diet, harmful alcohol intake, physical inactivity and air pollution.

He praised Tristate Heart Foundation for the “laudable initiative” of galvanising support for those who would otherwise die due to inability to access treatment for their heart conditions.

The chairman at the occasion, Former Osun State Governor, Chief Bisi Akande, said the foundation was set up to tackle the incidence of deaths from heart deceases.

He said the funds would help the world-class Tristate Heart and Vascular Centre, under the leadership of Prof Kamar Adeleke, to treat those of little means.

The Foundation, he said, plans to sponsor a minimum of 150 open heart surgeries in the next one year.

“Let’s change the fortune of that one child out of every 100 children who will be born with a heart defect. Let us rescue that man and that woman whose level of income cannot support open heart surgeries,” he said.