The Legislative Initiative for Sustainable Development, LISDEL, has called for affordable and sustained hypertension care in Nigeria, saying awareness alone will not reduce deaths from high blood pressure if patients cannot afford treatment.
The organisation made the call in Abuja to mark World Heart Day, under the global theme, “Don’t Miss a Beat” of the World Heart Federation.
LISDEL said a nationwide survey showed that 38.1 per cent of Nigerian adults have hypertension, while only 12.4 per cent of those affected have their blood pressure under control.
“Cardiovascular diseases account for an estimated 29 per cent of deaths in Nigeria, with the number of Nigerians living with hypertension projected to rise from 20.8 million in 2010 to 39.1 million by 2030.”
The organisation noted that many Nigerians pay out of pocket for blood pressure checks and medicines, forcing some patients to interrupt treatment when they run out of funds.
“We called on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to make hypertension screening, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up routine at the primary healthcare level, supported by functional blood pressure equipment, trained health workers and regular supplies of essential medicines.”
LISDEL also urged the National Health Insurance Authority and state health insurance agencies to include hypertension consultations, essential diagnostics and medicines in benefit packages and expand coverage among informal-sector workers and vulnerable groups.
The organisation called for predictable financing for non-communicable diseases and stronger legislative oversight of health budget releases.
It cited the Hypertension Treatment in Nigeria programme, which applied the WHO HEARTS package across 60 primary healthcare facilities, saying blood pressure control increased from 22 per cent to 56 per cent between 2020 and 2023.
LISDEL said the experience demonstrated that hypertension control was achievable when screening, treatment, medicines and follow-up were adequately supported. LISDEL urged Nigerians to check their blood pressure regularly, adhere to prescribed treatment, reduce salt intake, remain physically active and enrol in health insurance schemes.
