OGUN INAUGURATES HYPERTENSION CONTROL INITIATIVE COMMITTEE

 OGUN INAUGURATES HYPERTENSION CONTROL INITIATIVE COMMITTEE

 Ogun State Government has inaugurated a 17-man Hypertension Control Initiative Committee, to provide a robust database on the prevalence of hypertension and fine-tune standard protocols for the treatment of the disease.

Speaking at the inauguration in Abeokuta, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, described hypertension as a form of cardiovascular disease, which is a silent killer that claims about 18 million lives globally on a yearly basis.

Coker said the Federal Government has chosen Ogun and Kano as the two States to drive the pilot test of the initiative in the country, noting that the commitment of the Dapo Abiodun led government towards implementing policies and programmes that would lead to better "heart health" was second to none.

The Commissioner said the initiative, which was geared towards early detection and treatment of hypertension in six Local Government Areas of the State, would help reduce incidence of cardiovascular disease among its residents.

She pointed out that inauguration of the committee coincided with the commemoration of the 2020 World Heart Day with the theme, ‘’Use heart to beat cardiovascular disease", was pertinent at a time the world was battling the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We need to understand what it takes to live a heart healthy life, in order to make lifestyle changes in our choice of foods and exercise for a better life, now and in the future, " Coker said.

According to her, “there are great uncertainties about the future course of COVID-19, but what we know is a fact that individuals with cardiovascular disease are at a higher risk of developing complications.

Coker revealed that Ogun State Health Insurance Scheme, which would be formally launched soon, would provide free screening and treatment of high blood pressure for residents who enrolled at the Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs).

 Charging the Committee members headed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Adesanya Ayinde, the Commissioner urged them to give their best in achieving desired goal.

In her remarks, the Coordinator, Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr. Olatunde Yewande, said the committee would work on increasing awareness about hypertension, as well as develop the State’s implementation plans.