Lagos Flags Off Free Diabetes, Hypertension Screening

The Lagos State Government has flagged off free hypertension and diabetes screening statewide.

The exercise will hold in all local governments and local council development areas of the state, according to the Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Health, Dr. Yewande Adeshina, at a news conference to usher in the exercise.

She said the state government has spent about N4 million to provide drugs for patients of hypertension and diabetes in the last one year.

According to her, a total of 80,355 people were screened during the seventh round of the scheme, out of which 4.7 per cent were diabetic while 14.6 per cent were hypertensive.

“In other words, about 25,000 people were found to be suffering from the two diseases with each one of them consuming an average of N248 drugs,” the special adviser said.

Adeshina stated that over 600,000 people had since benefitted from the screening exercise since its inception, saying that the eighth round, which begins today, is expected to cater for thousands of residents across the state.

Describing it as one of the noncommunicable diseases, the special adviser noted that hypertension and diabetes were by far, the leading cause of mortality in the world, adding that they represent 60 per cent of all deaths.

“By 2020, it is predicted that noncommunicable diseases will be causing seven out of every 10 deaths in developing countries,” she said.

She explained that majority of people with hypertension were in the range of 41 to 60 years with a corresponding age bracket for diabetes being between 61 and 80 years.

In order to ensure that the scheme is adequately implemented, Adeshina said that refresher training had been organised for health personnel from both local government and local council development areas of the state to drive the exercise.

“These include medical officers of health in the respective LGAs, NYSC medical officers, nurses, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, community health officers, community health extension workers, laboratory technologist/technicians and students from College of Health Technology,” she said.