The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, Monday called for heightened awareness and proactive measures to combat the high incidence of stroke in Nigeria.
The minister made this call at a Ministerial Press Briefing to Commemorate the World Stroke Day with the theme, “Together we are #GreaterThan Stroke,” held Monday in Abuja.
Emphasizing the power of collective action in stroke prevention, he said it is a cardiovascular disease that occur when the blood supply to the brain is reduced or blocked, depriving brain tissue of essential oxygen and nutrients.
“Symptoms can range from paralysis or numbness on one side of the body, confusion, difficulty speaking or swallowing, impaired coordination, to severe headaches. Immediate medical attention is vital in the event of a stroke,” he said.
He added that the high incidence of stroke in Nigeria is driven by prevalent risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, poor dietary choices, alcohol use, smoking, and a sedentary lifestyle. Hypertension alone contributes up to 90% of all stroke cases.
He said, “Recognizing the vital role of primary health care in disease prevention and early detection, we launched the National Hypertension Control Initiative (NHCI) in August 2019. This initiative focuses on strengthening PHC Centres to prevent and manage hypertension. The initiative has made significant progress with its simplified hypertension treatment protocol implemented in numerous PHC centres across the country.”
To further support heart emergencies, the Nigerian Heart Foundation has procured Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) for deployment in high-population areas such as airports. AEDs are portable life-saving medical devices used to revive sudden cardiac arrest victims, he added.
Pate further stated that the World Stroke Organization reports that stroke is the leading cause of disability worldwide, affecting over 12 million people each year. However, up to 90% of strokes are preventable. The #GreaterThan campaign aims to empower individuals to understand and address stroke risks.
