Sola Ogundipe
17 March 2009
Lagos — Towards minimising the increasing incidence of sudden death emanating from the burden of diabetes and hypertension especially among the younger people in Lagos, no less than 80,000 people in the State and its environs are targeted for screening as the 5th round of the Free Statewide Screening Exercise for Hypertension and Diabetes kicked off yesterday.
The exercise is in line with the resolve of the State government's disease prevention and health promoting strategy to drastically reduce the dangers posed to health and the economy as a result of the incidence of non-communicable disorders.
The screening exercise is scheduled to take place concurrently in all the 20 LGAs at the two already identified sites in addition to one selected site from corresponsing LCDA and club sites.
The latest exercise which wraps up Friday March 20, 2009, is complemented by the similar health programmes for screening the breast, prostate and cervical cancer, and are aimed at enabling Lagosians take advantage of the available health services guaranteed to improve their health.
State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris said the State government is embarking on this programme as a result of the inadequate knowledge and awareness of the symptoms, signs and effects of untreated hypertension and diabetes.
Giving an update of the 4th round of the excercise held August 25-29, 2009, Idris said the diseases in question are expensive to treat although generally preventable if early detection is initiated.
He noted that Ifako/Ijaiye had the greatest proportion of clients while Epe had the lowest. "Total average unit cost of investigation at the various secondary facilities of patients were referred was N628 while the total average cost per person was N248," he stated.
"This major demographic and epidermiological transition transition with significant increase in the burden of injuries and non-communicable diseases. Lagos being the commercial nerve center of Nigeria, has a peculiar environmental and other risk factors that perdispose residents. Of the total of 63,761 persons screened, 3.2 per cent were diabetic while 17.2 per cent were hypertensive. He said 12 per cent of those screened were referred for further investigation.
He said majority of the hypertensive persons were aged 41-60 years with a corresponding bracket for diabetes being 61-80 years. He said there was need to draw attention to a major correlation between hypertension and diabetes on one hand and end-stage renal failure, stroke, heart failure and heart attack on the other hand with resultant high morbidity and mortality.
"Part of the objective is to detect early the asymptomatic or undiagnosed cases especially for those at high risk, and also to prevent complications through prompt and effective treatment of diagnosed cases."
He noted that some LGA Chairmen had taken over ownership of the programme by organising their own screening exercise within their LGA, saying that it was a welcome trend that could sustain the programme and ultimately guarantee the health of the citizenry.
On the follow-up plan for implementation and sustenance of the 5th round of the screening programme, Idris said all medical directors of Hospitals, medical officers of health and apex nurses of each of the 20 LGAs are involved while refresher courses have been held for other health personnel.
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