Abuja: A Nigerian doctor, Omolara Olagunju, has advised Nigerians on daily habits to guard against Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). Olagunju, who is also a paediatrician, gave the advice in Abuja at the inauguration of her foundation tagged ‘Nuparadigm Health Foundation’. She urged Nigerians to adopt healthier lifestyles, improved dietary habits, and preventive practices to reduce the burden of NCDs. Olagunju described NCDs as the most killer diseases in the country.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the growing threat of NCDs such as hypertension, diabetes, cancers, and other cardiovascular diseases requires everyone to have the right information on how to guard against them. Omolara Olagunju stated that she was motivated to create the foundation based on her interaction with people, highlighting that most Nigerians lack essential health information.
Olagunju emphasized the foundation’s mission to educate communities on essential health information necessary for maintaining health. She pointed out that urbanization, unhealthy lifestyles, and limited access to healthcare compound the growing prevalence of NCDs. She called for a multi-level preventive strategy to tackle this issue and prevent further economic and social consequences.
An information bulletin released with the foundation’s launch highlighted the escalating threat posed by NCDs and emphasized the need for targeted interventions. It also recommended actions for the Nigerian government and relevant stakeholders to reduce NCD-related mortality and improve public health.
Olagunju revealed alarming statistics, stating that only 29 percent of hypertensive individuals were aware of their condition, with a mere three percent achieving adequate blood pressure control. She noted that the prevalence of diabetes had risen from 2.5 percent in the 1990s to seven percent in 2024, attributing this increase to urbanization and sedentary lifestyles. Cardiovascular diseases, including strokes and heart attacks, account for 38 percent of premature NCD-related deaths in Nigeria, with 26 percent of women and 20 percent of men being obese.
Dr. Iseko Iseko, a Physician and Interventional Cardiologist, who served as the keynote speaker, spoke on cardiovascular health and preventive health in Nigeria. He explained that prevention is divided into primary, secondary, and tertiary stages. Primary prevention focuses on averting the onset of diseases, secondary prevention involves treating existing diseases and preventing complications, while tertiary prevention manages rehabilitation and reintegration into the community after an event.