The General Manager, Marketing, Fidson Healthcare Plc, Mr. Ola
Ijimaki,who said this at the commemoration of this year’s World Health Day,
advised Nigerians to adopt a healthy lifestyle, with the aim of stamp diseases.
Reports from the World Health Organisation showed that one in
three adults worldwide has high blood pressure.
The global health body reports that the proportion increases
with age, from one in 10 people in their 20s and 30s to five in 10 people in
their 50s.
“The prevalence of high blood pressure is highest among some low
income countries in Africa, with over 40 per cent of adults in many African
countries thought to be affected,” WHO says.
Ijimakin noted that high blood pressure — also known as
hypertension — increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure.
“It can also cause blindness, irregular heartbeats and heart
failure if left uncontrolled,” he said.
He recalled that a WHO statistics claimed that, worldwide, more
than 7.5 million deaths were attributed to the condition, representing about
12.8 per cent of all deaths.
Ijimakin decried the alarming rate of hypertension globally,
saying it is a challenge that should not be handled with levity, especially as
more Africans are exposed to unhealthy behaviours like poor eating habit, very
little physical activity, smoking, excessive alcohol intake and stressful
living conditions.
“Consequently, there is the need to create public awareness on
the risks associated with high blood pressure and the importance of a healthy
lifestyle as a preventive measure,” he said.
It will be recalled that in 1948, WHO held the first World
Health Assembly (now known as the World Health Day), an initiative celebrated
annually to commemorate the founding of the organisation.
The WHO uses the day to draw global attention to major health
issues affecting people’s health.
“Fidson’s support for the WHO campaign against hypertension is
another way of showing our commitment to improving Nigerians’ wellbeing,”
Ijimakin said
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