Society expresses concern over rising cost of medicines

The Nigeria Hypertension Society has expressed concern about the rising cost of medicines for the treatment of hypertension, saying this poses a potential threat to efforts being made to control the disease in Nigeria.

The President of the Society, Prof. Simeon Isezuo, stated this on Thursday in Abuja during a media conference to mark 2024 World Hypertension Day.

The theme for 2024 World Hypertension Day is “Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, and Live Longer.”.

Supreme News reports that World Hypertension Day is observed globally on May 17, with the aim of creating awareness and promoting the prevention, detection, and treatment of hypertension.

Isezuo said that obesity, sedentary lifestyle and diet rich in salt, fats and sugar are the main factors that gave rise to the burden of hypertension in Africa.

He, however, recommended the consumption of traditional African food derived from roots, stemsand leaves, including regular exercise and optimum weight, for the prevention of hypertension

He urged the government to encourage local manufacturers of medicines for the disease and also prioritise Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

The society also advised that unhealthy foods be taxed to discourage their consumption, while legislation should be enacted to enforce appropriate labelling of salt, fat, and sugar contents on food packages.

According to Isezuo, hypertension has no symptoms and does not show until serious damage has been done to the body.

According to him, many people with hypertension are unaware they have it and only a few of those who are aware are on treatment

Isezuo also said that the disease could be inherited, which could also affect multiple members of the same family.

He, therefore, advised that Nigerians should strengthen traditional African family system in the control of hypertension.

“These include the sharing of information about hypertension, the promotion of a native African diet, and involvement in physical domestic activities instead of leaving them exclusively for housework.

“Families should support and encourage their members with hypertension to take their medicines regularly.

“Regular blood pressure checks should be encouraged in the family. Ultimately, every family, household, or home in Nigeria should have a blood pressure apparatus for a regular blood pressure check,” he said.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, said that hypertension was a leading cardiovascular disease and non-communicable disease (NCD) and was responsible for significant morbidity and mortality.

Pate, represented by the Acting Director, Public Health, in the ministry, Dr. Akpan Micheal, stated that low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) accounted for nearly 80 percent of the global cardiovascular disease burden.

The minister said no fewer than one billion people globally were living with hypertension, and this represents more than 30 percent of the adult population.

According to him,with the number of people living with hypertension, only 52 percent are aware of their condition, 35 percent are on treatment, and less than 14 percent have their blood pressure controlled.

He said, “It is worrisome that the burden of hypertension has been disproportionately greater in LMICs in recent decades due to an increase in risk factors such as tobacco use, physical inactivity, an unhealthy diet, and harmful alcohol consumption.

“The high burden is further accentuated by the high proportion of people who are unaware of their condition, putting them at risk of avoidable medical complications and death.”.

The minister said that several pockets of studies and surveys in Nigeria put the prevalence of hypertension in excess of 30 percent.

“According to the 2019 WHO NCD Country Profiles, NCDs accounted for 29 percent of all deaths in the country with cardiovascular disease, predominantly hypertension, responsible for 11 percent of all the NCD deaths.

“Premature mortality due to NCDs is 22 percent. Premature mortality due to NCDs is defined as the probability of dying between ages 30 and 70 from the main NCDs,” he added.

He, however, observed that over the years, the Federal Government has instituted several strategic interventions at the tertiary, secondary, and primary health care levels, with the targets of screening at least 80 percent of the eligible population.

It also aimed to place 80 percent of people with hypertension on standard treatment and care and ensure that 80 percent of those on treatment have their blood pressure sustainably controlled to avert complications.

It would also contribute to achieving at least a 25 percent relative reduction in the unconditional probability of dying prematurely from cardiovascular diseases and other NCDs.

Pate, however, said that the Federal Government was working with WHO, the Nigerian Heart Foundation, and other partners to reduce the burden of hypertension and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the country.