By Gabriel Enogholase

BENIN – A consultant physician and endocrinologist at the Otibhor-Okhai Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Dr. Akhuemokhan Kennedy, yesterday, said that of the estimated 58 million people who die globally from diseases, cardiovascular disease, CVD, accounted for over 30 per cent.

He said this proportion was equal to those who die from infectious diseases, nutritional deficiencies, and maternal and prenatal conditions combined.

In a paper, Assessment and Management of Cardiovascular Risk presented at the Pfizer’s Cardiovascular Summit in Benin, he said that a substantial proportion of the deaths or 46 per cent were people under 70 years of age— the productive period of their life.

Earlier, Sales Manager, Pfizer (Nigeria and East African Region), Mr. Dickson Ikhuoria, said the cardiovascular summit was an annual scientific symposium aimed at updating  clinicians on recent trends in the management of cardiovascular diseases.

Akhuemokhan said: “Between 2006 and 2015, deaths due to non-communicable diseases, half of which will be due to cardiovascular diseases, are expected to increase by 17 per cent, while deaths from infectious diseases, nutritional deficiencies and maternal and prenatal conditions combined are projected to decline by 3 per cent.”

He said that CVD already places a significant economic burden on low and middle income countries as the resources available for its management in these countries were limited because of competing health priorities.