Experts in Nigeria’s healthcare sector have called for more actions to change the low level of health risk awareness amongst Nigerians posed by health challenges.
They say that the steady rise in communicable and non-communicable diseases in the country is an indication of inadequate or ineffective control measures to curtail the disease as a result of lack of awareness.
Available data shows that many of the most prevalent infectious diseases are common to sub-Saharan Africa.
As a result, Nigeria, the continent’s most populous country, has a large number of cases of widespread such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis (TB) among others.
However, changing eating habits and an increase in sedentary lifestyles among an expanding middle class have contributed to a rise in the prevalence of NCDs like hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, cancer and chronic lung disease.
“The major drivers for the high morbidity are fear, reluctance to accept fee for screening and the unaffordable medical bills associated with late presentation” Ifeoma Okoye, radiologist at university of Nigeria teaching hospital (UNTH) and founder of Breast Without Spot told BusinessDay.
Okoye stated that the fear that fuels the wrong perception, can only be buried if we can change the narrative through; improving early detection, increasing opportunities for free screening, and assisting indigent patients to cope with their medical bills. These interventions will improve survival statistics.
“We urge the public to be aware of risks associated to their health. Know the causes and risk factors so that appropriate precautions can be taken to modify or avoid them. In addition to prevent and reduce the risk of cancer, individuals should refrain from smoking and drinking alcohol, be physically active, and have a balanced diet” she said.
“We have to be in this together, as we do not know where the prevalence of this disease without cures is going to come from. The looming global epidemic of cancer means that all of us in the medical profession have to come together to make sure anyone and everyone has a awareness said Ojo Sikiru, a medical practitioner based in Lagos.
Sikiru stated that awareness is a key to survival, experts have emphasised the importance of awareness and are working together everywhere and anywhere that there is a patient.
Significantly increasing awareness of health issues will reduce stigmatizing conversations around diseases, while empowering families with important information about life style modification changes that research has shown can play a role in reducing the risk of health issues or improving outcomes for wellbeing.
An unhealthy environmental condition also increases the risk of both non communicable and infectious diseases, which is reflected in the strong integrated nature of the Goals.
Expert says this lifestyle of unhealthy diet has caused millions of Nigerians disease such as high blood pressure, overweight, respiratory diseases, high cholesterol level and it is a huge burden.
Individuals need to take caution of their lifestyle and be aware to carry out more exercises in order to reduce the blood pressure and curtail the sugar level.
ANTHONIA OBOKOH
