By Cecilia Ologunagba and Justina Auta
The founder of Queen Zara Foundation, Joyce Roberts, has urged Nigerians to go for regular hypertension screening and adopt a healthy life style, in order to reduce the risks of hypertension related diseases.
Roberts, also the Chief Executive Officer of the NGO, who spoke on the sidelines of the foundation’s free medical outreach, on Saturday, in Abuja, also urged Nigerians to eat healthy and natural foods.
According to her, the need to help and empower the disadvantaged in the country made her establish the foundation.
“Our focus for this outreach is to encourage people to go for regular blood pressure screening, to reduce the incidence of death as a result of the condition.
“Hypertension is a silent killer and many are ignorant of the risk factors, so the outreach will create awareness about hypertension and the need to do regular BP check,’’ the founder said.
Similarly, Dr Pirfa John, the Medical Doctor, who conducted the hypertension check, said going for regular screening would help identify other diseases on time.
John, a Resident Doctor at the National Hospital, Abuja, said hypertension was one of the leading causes of preventable deaths in youths and the elderly, saying“ regularly screening is highly recommended’’.
The medical doctor advised those found to be hypertensive to go to the hospital for better management.
“Sensitising the public is good; it will help those who have poor health seeking behaviour to be enlightened on their health conditions.
“Some risk factors could predispose people to hypertension such as obesity, high salt diet, smoking and consumption of alcohol.
“All these factors predispose people from having hypertension, which causes 90 per cent of those with high blood pressure.
“I will also advise people to check their blood level the same way people do other routine medical checks,’’ he said.
John emphasised the need for people to undergo regular hypertension screening, depending on their health seeking behaviours, saying that immediately people’s blood pressure was high; they should go to the hospital to be monitored and be treated.
“Essential hypertension constitutes 90 per cent causes of hypertension and they have risk factors, such as obesity, smoking contributing.
“If those risk factors could be addressed and people could imbibe good lifestyles of doing exercise, desist from smoking, reduce salt intake; these are healthy practices that will help to keep fit,’’ John said.
Queen Zara Foundation for Human Resources Development, established in July, 2013, is a leading volunteer- driven organisation that provides and promotes health, peace and empowerment, through education of Nigerians.
NAN
