Reps want FG to make hypertension test compulsory

By Umar Muhammad Puma

The House of Representatives has asked the Federal Ministry of Health and its Agencies to make the checking of hypertension compulsory to curtail the increasing deaths in Nigeria
The House also urged federal government to include hypertension and related diseases in the existing programmes like HIV at the primary health care level.
In a motion sponsored by Rep. Joseph Edionwele (Edo-PDP), expressed concern over the rising rate of sudden deaths as a result of cause (s) attributed to Hypertension and related diseases in the Country, and the high proportion of the Nigerian populace afflicted by this disease.
He also said that one of the primary purpose of Government was to ensure the security, health and well-being of its citizens as provided in section 17(3)(c) of the 1999 Constitution.
“Informed by the latest medical survey on heart failure and hypertension in Nigeria which revealed that hypertension accounts for 44 per cent of sudden deaths or in lesser cases paralysis of the victims.”
Edionwele expressed worry that lack of awareness on the silent killer diseases when not diagnosed and or untreated was the major cause of heart attack, stroke and related effects on Nigerians and the attributed increasing death rate.
“The problem which is said to occur in 30-45 per cent of adult population over the age 40 in Nigeria is becoming so worrisome that if the trend is not checked on time it may become endemic.
“Considering the age bracket of persons at risk which constitutes the active population, this is a potential threat to National development, since the greatest resource of any nation is its human resource.
“Also worried that according to the survey, global mortality due to hypertension is highest in Africa where Nigeria is having a sizeable number thereof and that this condition is more prevalent in men who most often are the bread winners of their families.
“Patients died due to inability to buy their drugs and in other cases lack of awareness,” he said.
The motion was unanimously adopted by members when it was put to a voice vote by the Speaker, MrYakubuDogara.
The House therefore, urged the Ministry of Health and the National Orientation Agency to, as a matter of National public importance, carry out a sensitization campaign on the awareness of this silent killer disease.
The motion was referred to the Committee on Healthcare Services, Health Institutions and Information and National Orientation, Ethics and Values for further legislative inputs.