Medical experts have renewed warnings over the growing burden of hypertension and other silent chronic diseases in the country, stressing the need for regular preventive checks and early detection to save lives.
This comes as over 100 widows received medical screening, laboratory tests and treatment at the annual health outreach organised by the Rose of Sharon Foundation (RoSF) in Lagos recently.
The outreach, which targeted widows and their children under the foundation’s care, provided consultations, medications and physiotherapy, with several cases identified for further follow-up.
Public health practitioner and lead Doctor at the event, Dr. Aina Ogunshola, said the screenings revealed a heavy burden of chronic diseases, particularly high blood pressure, which he described as a silent illness. “The most common presentation is hypertension. Fewer people are presenting with diabetes. Many of them were not even aware they had underlying health risks before they were tested.”
Ogunshola explained that hypertension and diabetes often develop without obvious symptoms until complications occur, hence the term, ‘silent illnesses’.
According to him, unmanaged high blood pressure and high blood sugar can lead to stroke, heart attack, kidney damage and eye complications, stressing that many of such outcomes are preventable through early detection.
Beyond hypertension and diabetes, he said several of the elderly women complained of waist and knee pain, broadly categorised as osteoarthritis. Others presented with visual impairment, ear infections and abdominal pain that may require further medical investigation. He advised the women to adopt preventive health habits, including regular checks at nearby pharmacies or health centres.
“If you don’t have the devices at home, walk into the nearest pharmacy, have your blood pressure checked, your blood sugar checked, get it recorded and take it to the nearest health centre,” he said.
He also emphasised the importance of health insurance in reducing out of pocket spending, describing it as a system where people pool resources to avoid financial hardship when illness strikes.
Administrative Officer, RoSF, Ayomide Fatoki, said the outreach forms part of its annual comprehensive medical check-up for beneficiaries. “Over 100 beneficiaries partook in this outreach and it has been a success because diseases have been identified and issues that need further treatment have been referred for advanced care.”
She urged the widows to take personal responsibility for their health, emphasising the importance of regular check-ups, following prescribed treatments, eating a balanced diet and maintaining healthy lifestyles. “Health is your most valuable asset, be intentional about it, follow medical advice, keep up with appointments, eat and sleep well and embrace every instruction given to you by health professionals. Taking care of yourself today can prevent serious problems tomorrow,” she said.
A beneficiary, Omodayo Kehinde, described the outreach as timely. She said she had been experiencing serious stomach pain for two weeks but could not complete recommended laboratory tests at the hospital due to an ongoing strike.
She explained that she resorted to temporary palliative care until she received information about the outreach. Kehinde, who has been with the foundation since 2011, said it has supported her and her child through school over the years.
“They took care of my child since he was in primary school. Now he has finished his ND and is going for HND at Yaba Tech,” she said, expressing appreciation to the foundation.
