By CHIOMA OBINNA
Irked by the rise in cardiovascular diseases, the Lagos State government last week commenced the training of 120 health workers from the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas of the State.

The health workers include, medical officers, nurse/student Nurse, pharmacists/pharmacy technicians, community health officers, community health extension workers and laboratory technologists/technicians, students from schools of nursing and college of health technology and supervisor that would drive the exercise.

Special of Adviser to the Governor on Public Health, Dr. Yewande Adeshina who noted that the training was to ensure success of the forthcoming 8th round of the State wide free screening for diabetes and hypertension said the rationale for embarking on the programme cannot be over emphasised in view of the sharp rise in cardiovascular diseases occasioned by incidences of  diabetes and hypertension among Lagosians.

Decrying the economic and health challenges posed to individuals and government, Adeshina stressed that both diseases constitute a major component of what is generally referred to as Non-Communicable Diseases, NCDs.

She further noted that Nigeria is undergoing a major demographic and epidemiological transition with significant increases in the burden of injuries and non-communicable diseases, and that the transition will of necessity re-orient demands for health services and increase pressures for improving diseases prevention and health promoting strategies in health care particularly in Lagos State.

“Significant correlation between hypertension and diabetes on one hand and end stage renal disease (renal failure), stroke, heart failure and heart attack on the other hand with resultant high morbidity and mortality further reinforced government’s decision to embark on the programme.”

Continuing, Adeshina recalled that the State government recently established the Lagos State Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) Surveillance system and a community-based prevention intervention scheme in a comprehensive strategy comprising of six components in order to effectively address the prevention and control of NCDs in the State.

She said:  “The overall goal of the comprehensive strategy adopted by the state government on the prevention and control of the NCDs is to detect early asymptomatic/undiagnosed cases especially those at high risk as well as to prevent complications through the prompt and effective treatment of diagnosed.