By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

In an effort to ensure that more residents take the advantage to undergo medical checks of their blood pressure without paying any money, Anambra State Government has extended free hypertension check to all primary and secondary healthcare centres across the state.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike, stated this in Awka, during a press briefing to commence this year's World Hypertension Day celebrated annually on May 17.

The prevalence of Hypertension in Nigeria is 28% which corresponds with the recent data from the Solution Know Your Number Campaign Project in Anambra State which shows that out of 2,362 persons screened for Hypertension, 651 (28%) were diagnosed with hypertension out of which 254 (39%) were newly diagnosed cases for hypertension while 396 (61%) were previously known cases.

Dr Obidike stressed that so far, the government had distributed three hundred and sixty kits to all the primary health centers as well as General hospitals across the state to encourage more people to test their blood pressure regularly.

He said: “There are room for counseling and guide on pharmaco drugs that hypertensive persons could take to control and treat it.

“The complications associated with inadequate or inaccurate blood pressure measurement include hypertension, stroke, among other non-communicable diseases.”

Meanwhile, the Coordinator World Health Organization in Anambra State, Dr Bonos Mohammed, has said that the organization targets to screen about three thousand people free during the period.

He said that the global agency will continue to partner the state in ensuring that more people have access to quality healthcare services.

On his part, the Programme Officer, Non-Communicable Disease in Anambra State, Mrs. Adaku Egoh, explained that apart from sensitizing the public through Radio jingles and participatory programs, trained health workers have been positioned at various locations Including the State Secretariat in Awka to encourage more people to check their blood pressure free of charge.

World Health Organization during the occasion, promised to keep supporting Anambra State in its effort to ensure that more people have access to quality healthcare.

The event was wrapped up with a road walk within Awka the state capital where fliers containing vital steps to treat hypertension were distributed to the people.