A Non Governmental Organization know as GAMMUN Centre for Care and Development Nigeria have stressed the need for better collaboration with the Media to promote Hypertension Advocacy in Kano state North West Nigeria.
The project known as Kano Hypertension Advocacy Initiative (KHAI), was aimed at raising awareness on hypertension and promote healthy lifestyles.
To achieve better success, the group inaugurated media fellows with the goal of carrying out a sustainable and comprehensive Advocacy Campaign to strengthen Hypertension prevention, treatment, and control in Kano State.
According to the Executive Director Gammun Centre for Care and Development Nigeria Mr. Tulari Tine, GAMMUN is committed to reducing the burden of hypertension in Kano State.
He noted that, “Sustained media engagement and advocacy as well as improved budgetary allocation by states will significantly help in reducing hypertension mobility and mortality in the state.
“Through the Kano Hypertension Advocacy Initiative (KHAI), we hope to advocate to Government to provide necessary support to the current HTN services in the State.; provide access to free hypertension medication to those under care and scale-up to the remaining 22 LGAs of HTN Model Facilities.”
Mr. Tine who identified Hypertension as silent killer said, People with high blood pressure may not feel symptoms but through blood pressure check.
While urging people embrace frequent blood chech, the GAMMUN ED believed that sustained awareness is key to reducing the burden of hypertension.
He said, “Many people live with hypertension without them knowing and this is because they don’t go for blood check. People are busy these days couple with the current hardship.
“People are thinking a lot on how to solve one problem or the other. So it’s important to engage in blood check, physical exercise, and so on,” Tine advised.
The Kano State Coordinator GAMMUN Centre for Care and Development Nigeria Mustapha Gwarzo said, the project will collaborate with the state legislature and traditional institutions in the state in reducing hypertension burden in the state.
Records from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that, hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, responsible for over 17.9 million deaths worldwide each year.
In Nigeria, hypertension is a significant public health concern, with an estimated 44.9% of adults living with the condition.
The KHAI project is funded by Global Health Advocacy Initiative (GHAI), an Initiative of the Campaign for Tobacco -Free Kids and Tobacco -Free Kids Action Fund and Bloomberg Philanthropies aims to carry out a sustainable and comprehensive advocacy campaign to strengthen hypertension prevention, treatment, and control in Kano State -Nigeria
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