As part of measures to actualise its vision of improving the life expectancy of its residents, the Ogun Government has launched the National Hypertension Control Initiative (NHCI) in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the initiative was in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO), Federal Ministry of Health and an NGO, Resolve To Save Lives (RTSL).
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, said at the launch at the Primary Health Center, Osiele, Odeda Local Government Area on Wednesday, that the rising cases of hypertension in the country was alarming.
Coker noted that the rising cases of hypertension should be of urgent concern to government at all levels.
The commissioner said that cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, was responsible for the two per cent of deaths recorded in the state in 2018.
She added that there was need for relevant stakeholders to join hands with government to fashion out effective health care programmes that would reduce the mortality rate of cardiovascular diseases.
She, however, said that the newly introduced hypertension control initiative would improve the management and control the rates of high blood pressure in health care facilities in the state.
“This initiative has a lot of benefits for us in the health sector and by extension, the people of our state. It will improve early diagnosis and management of hypertension at primary health centers.
“We aim to provide standardised management of hypertension in primary health care centers within the state through this programme.
“Let me also state that the NHCI is in line with Gov. Dapo Abiodun’s vision for increasing the life expectancy of residents in our state,” she said.
The Representative of the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Umo Ene-Bong, in her speech, said the NHCI was at present being piloted in Ogun and Kano States.
According to her, the programme would be scaled up to other states of the country.
Ene-bong urged the Ogun government to take ownership and implementation of the project beyond its lifespan.
She expressed optimism that Ogun would be a model of reckon for other states on hypertension control.
Also, the representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr. Sunde Dele-David, appreciated the state government for creating an enabling environment for cordial relationship with partners.(NAN)
