Story highlights
- State governments have launched the “Project 10 Million, Know Your Number, Control Your Number” campaign, aiming to screen 10 million Nigerians for hypertension and diabetes.
- Hypertension and diabetes account for 27% of deaths in Nigeria annually, with the likelihood of dying from these diseases between ages 30-70 at 17%.
- Osun, Ekiti, FCT, and Kaduna governments are providing free screenings in various locations, with states like Ekiti aiming for 200,000 screenings and Kaduna targeting 500,000 residents.
- The campaign includes not only screenings but also health education, counselling, and referrals, with a focus on reaching underserved communities to promote equitable healthcare access.
Various state governments, on Monday, began sensitisation campaigns, free testing and screening of its residents for diabetes and hypertension.
The exercise was keying into the “Project 10 million, Know your number, Control your number,” a national health campaign aimed at addressing the growing impact of non-communicable diseases, especially hypertension and diabetes.
The two ailments account for an estimated 27 per cent of deaths in Nigeria every year.
The campaign, which would run from October 28 to November 3, is expected to see about 10 million Nigerians screened for hypertension and diabetes.
In Osun State, the wife of the governor, Mrs Titilola Adeleke, called on residents to leverage the opportunity of free testing sponsored by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the World Health Organisation to get screened for diabetes and hypertension.
“These diseases are a serious threat to the well-being of our communities, by contributing to 27 per cent of all annual deaths in Nigeria, 17 per cent of Nigerians between the ages of 30 and 70 years are likely to die from these diseases. There is a need for urgent moves to stop these diseases in our society.
“Today, I am pleased to announce the ‘Know Your Number, Control Your Number’ campaign, an initiative led by Health Commissioners from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory and approved by the Nigeria Governors Forum,” Adeleke said.
Flagging off the exercise in Ekiti, Governor Biodun Oyebanji said the state government targeted 200,000 people for free hypertension and diabetes screening within the week.
Oyebanji said the state had set up 161 screening centres for the exercise.
The governor, represented by the Deputy Governor, Mrs Monisade Afuye, said hypertension and diabetes were responsible for 70 per cent of the mortality of people between ages 30 and 70.
Oyebanji expressed the determination of the state to tackle the exponential increase in the number of people suffering from hypertension and diabetes in the state.
He said, “There is a 70 per cent chance of dying from hypertension and diabetes between the ages of 30 and 70 years in Nigeria.
“Despite these alarming statistics, a lot of people are not aware of their status as far as these health conditions are concerned, making them a silent threat to their health and well-being.
“We hope to conduct free screening for about 200,000 people in Ekiti State for hypertension and diabetes within the weeklong campaign in 161 screening centres across the state from Monday 28th October to Sunday 3rd November 2024, with a focus on adults from age 18 years.
“Ekiti is combining the ‘Project 10 Million initiative’ with an innovative state intervention to rapidly increase demand for primary health care services in Ekiti State, which is key to achieving universal health coverage for the people.”
Oyebanji argued that the increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases in the country may not be unconnected with lifestyle changes.
The governor stated that counselling would be organised for all participants on non-communicable diseases, while newly diagnosed people would be linked to a hospital closest to them for care.
He added that there would also be an opportunity for short-term refills for known hypertension patients during the exercise.
In the same vein, the Federal Capital Territory Authority expressed the intention to screen 250,000 residents to reduce the prevalence of non-communicable diseases.
The FCTA, in a statement on Monday signed by Bola Ajao, the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Mandate Secretary for FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, disclosed that the screening would be held from October 30 to November 6.
“The programme will reach over 200 communities across the FCT, with health workers travelling throughout Abuja to ensure accessibility, particularly, to underserved communities to ensure that vulnerable populations have equitable access to essential care.
“General hospitals, primary health centres, mosques, churches, markets, garages, and parks will be included to maximise reach and convenience.
“The public is assured that the exercise is safe and harmless, therefore any severe cases identified, referrals will be made to government hospitals, with medications provided free-of-charge to ease any financial burden on patients,” the statement said.
“The exercise will continue across the FCT from October 30 to November 6, 2024,” it added.
For the Kaduna State government, the target is to screen 500,000 residents of the state for non-communicable diseases.
At an event held in Kaduna, on Monday, Governor Uba Sani, represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, stressed the need for people to have critical health information to make informed decisions about their well-being.
“Knowledge is power, and this programme will drastically change the trajectory of lives by providing individuals with their health metrics and tools to manage their well-being.
“The programme offers a range of services, including health education on major NCDs, blood pressure measurement, blood glucose testing, counselling, and referral services. Data collection will also be conducted to inform future health policies,” she said.
Sani emphasised the alarming statistics surrounding NCDs in Nigeria, which claimed approximately 447,800 lives annually.
“The likelihood of dying from these conditions between ages 30 and 70 stands at 17 per cent, striking at the very heart of our productive population,” he noted.
The battle against NCDs is complicated by risk factors such as tobacco use, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, and air pollution.
However, Sani expressed confidence in the programme’s ability to make a significant impact.
“This initiative aligns well with our administration’s SUSTAIN Manifesto, particularly Agenda 6, which focuses on improving human capital development.
“When we prioritise preventive healthcare and early detection, it would mean we are making substantial investments in the future of our state,” he said.
