Anambra State Governor’s wife Dr Nonye Soludo has urged Nigerians to maintain regular health checks, eat balance food and exercise regularly to reduce the rate of cardiovascular diseases and deaths.
Dr Soludo who was speaking in Awka, expressed worry over the rising death rates resulting from neglect of many dangerous heart related health challenges.
According to the governor’s wife, a large number of cardio-related deaths occurred because the victims were neither aware of their heart health nor showed any serious medical concern about it, including visiting hospitals often to undergo cardiovascular tests.
She pointed out that while regular overall body checkup is very important, special attention should be paid to vital organs that are sensitive and delicate including the heart , kidneys, liver, lungs, breasts and prostate, among others.
The Governor’s wife, who is a healthy living advocate, appealed to everyone to value their health, and to always be proactive in responding to symptoms of ill health , noting that regular health checks, managing cholesterol and blood pressure levels, stress management and regulated alcohol intake, are necessary for staying healthy and managing heart conditions.
Cardiovascular health should concern every living person in the world.
Heart is the viscus of Cardiac Muscles that maintains the circulation of the blood.
Smoking, poor diet and lack of exercise, obesity, low blood pressure, poor blood sugar and cholesterol control, are risk factors that lead to heart disease. If these lifestyle factors are modified, this might decrease the risk of heart disease.
Through the Global Hearts Initiative, WHO is supporting governments around the world to scale-up efforts on cardiovascular Diseases prevention and control through tobacco control, salt reduction and strengthening of Cardiovascular Diseases management in primary health care.
To understand what it takes to live a heart healthy life and to act on that knowledge, changing behaviour for a better quality of life now and in the future is paramount. Individuals, should set examples for loved ones. Healthcare professionals should help patients to make positive changes for their heart health. Employers, should invest in the heart health of employees and government should implement policies and initiatives that will lead to better societal Heart Health, such as discouraging excess sugar intake, smoking bans and reducing air pollution.
Inclusive heart health should be anchored on adequate investment, infrastructure, education, and data protection protocols. Education should include digital literacy for many who are not used to technology as a health resource, including those in the health workforce.
Heart health initiatives should also contribute to achieving Universal Health Coverage which is a target of the third Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), and be a game changer for the more than seven hundred and thirty-four million people worldwide who do not have access to healthcare.
Raising mass public awareness of the need for equitable access to heart healthcare should be a collective responsibility of all stakeholders to beat Cardiovascular Diseases .
