BY CHIOMA OBINNA

Health professionals at the Neimeth International Pharmaceutical’s Healthcare professional Forum on “Innovative Approach to Tackle the Upsurge of Hypertension” have called for end to the threat of the disorder in the country.

At a one –day Neimeth International Pharmaceutical’s Healthcare professional Forum on “Innovative Approach to Tackle the Upsurge of Hypertension” they observed that with a prevalence of 40 percent, there is need to declare  the disease an emergency.

The Forum which comprises medical doctors, pharmacists, nurses and other stakeholders stressed that to reduce deaths occasioned by hypertension, there is need for an increased awareness on prevention, availability, accessibility of treatment and affordability of drugs.

Chief Executive Officer of Neimeth, Pharmacist Emmanuel Ekunno, who spoke on the company’s programme tagged: “Fight the Good fight Against Hypertension” (FITGAH) lamented the scourge of hypertension which he said has taken a toll on Nigerians and currently ravaging communities across the nation.

The Fight the Good Fight Against Hypertension launched last year by Neimeth, was a reversed innovation aimed at tackling the upsurge of hypertension, particularly now,the prevalence of hypertension in Nigeria is placed at about 40 percent.

Ekunno explained that the FITGAH, fights hypertension using four pronged approach; awareness, affordability, availability and action.

“Of these, affordability is our greatest weapon. This has necessitated our reduction in prices of antihypertensives Amlovar, Miniplus and normoretic by 50 percent of the price. Though this will certainly erode profit, it is however our own corporate social responsibility.”

Ekunno who was represented by Pharmacist Roselyn Oputa stressed the need for awareness, availability of drugs, action and affordable drugs.

He said affordability has remained a global issue which necessitated Neimeth action to initiate FITGAH as a weapon against hypertension.

Under the programme, Neimeth has initiated a 50 percent price slash of its anti hypertensive drugs with a view to ensuring affordability.

In her lecture entitled: “The black hypertension Story”, a Consultant Cardiologist from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Professor Jane Ajuluchukwu who traced the history of high blood pressure in Nigeria explained that the World Health Organisation, WHO, described a person with Blood Pressure of 140/90 consistently for a period of time is hypertensive.

Ajuluchukwu who noted that studies have shown that hypertension was more in blacks and common obese, urban settings and smokers blamed the high incidence  on the environment.

Stating that nine million Nigerians have high blood pressure from a 1999 study with prevalence of 10 percent using 140/90mm/mg, she noted that hypertension crisis started after the 2nd world war and since then it has continued to rise.  “Something in our environment tends to unlock the key”

Also in her lecture: Hypertension: The Normoretic Experience”  Associate Professor Medicine and Consultant Cardiologists, Dr. Amam Mbakwem stressed that hypertension remain  an important public health issue, adding that controlling the disease is key to prevent organ damage

Chief Medical Director, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Professor David Oke observed that Nigeria cannot fight the goodfight against hypertension without tackling those habits that expose people to the disease.

Oke, said there is need for every Nigerian to fight the good fight and take the battle to hypertensive disorders.

 “The fight should be fought harder and there is need to get everybody involve. There is need to adopt the global approach of reducing our salt intake.”