The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, has revealed that 30 per cent of residents in the state suffer from hypertension and 70 per cent are unaware of their condition.
This is because the government launched a week-long free hypertension and diabetes screening exercise, targeting 800,000 residents across the state.
According to a press release from the Ministry of Health on Friday, Abayomi expressed concern over the alarming prevalence of “silent killers of hypertension and diabetes”, highlighting that hypertension is one of the leading causes of heart disease, stroke and kidney failure.
“With a hypertension prevalence rate of 30 percent, a staggering 8.67 million people in Lagos are affected by high blood pressure. Even more worrying is that 70 percent of people living with hypertension, that is, more than 6 million people, are completely unaware of their condition,” he stated.
The professor noted that obesity, a known contributor to both hypertension and diabetes, affects 3.48 million Lagos residents, or 12 percent of the population, highlighting that the rise in sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy eating habits contribute to this situation.
Abayomi added that diabetes has a prevalence rate of 6 percent, which translates to 1.73 million residents, of which 50 percent are unaware of their status.
LR: Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso; the Commissioner of Health, Akin Abayomi; and Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Kemi Ogunyemi
Campaign, free screening
Labeled: “Know Your Numbers, Check Your Numbers”, the campaign is an initiative under the Nigerian Governors Forum “10 Million Project” that aims to address the high prevalence of the silent killers of hypertension and diabetes .
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According to the statement, the campaign will run from October 28 to November 3 and will provide free blood pressure and blood sugar screening to 800,000 residents in all local government areas of the state, as part of the Lagos quota of the Project 10 million from Nigeria.
During his presentation, Abayomi highlighted the objective of the campaign to make medical examinations accessible to all residents of Lagos State.
“This campaign represents a powerful effort in the fight against hypertension and diabetes, which often go undiagnosed until serious complications arise,” he said, underscoring the commitment to proactive health-seeking behaviors among residents,” he said.
He noted that the free examination will be carried out in 300 primary health care centers and 30 general hospitals across the state.
“This campaign aims to encourage residents to control their blood pressure, weight and blood sugar levels.
“During the campaign week, Lagosians are invited to visit any of the 300 primary health centers and 30 general hospitals in the state for testing. “The free consultations will include blood pressure testing, blood sugar and BMI calculations, allowing citizens to better understand and manage their health,” he said.
In his speech, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, shared his story on the importance of regular screenings. He spoke about the impact of daily stress, especially in high-pressure professions like journalism, and urged members of the press to prioritize their health.
“The campaign is more than a medical checkup. “It is a call to all Lagosians to take proactive measures in managing their health,” he said.
Risk factors
Additionally, the commissioner also identified specific risk factors that contribute to hypertension and diabetes, including obesity, physical inactivity, poor diet, age and stress.
He recommended a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, quitting smoking and managing stress as ways to defeat silent killers.
“We strongly encourage you to take the opportunity to have a free health check-up at our public health centers within the week-long free health check exercise next week,” he said.
Furthermore, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Kemi Ogunyemi, expressed concern that many people are unaware of free health services, leading to neglect of health care.
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Mrs Ogunyemi noted that many people did not follow up on their health care during the recently concluded Alaafia Eko outreach campaign where health services were provided to 24,000 Lagosians.
“We are seeing that free resources alone may not be enough. We need people to take charge of their health, make regular check-ups a habit and utilize the resources available,” Mr Ogunyemi said.