The Federal Government has revealed that 40 per cent of Nigerians that come down with acute stroke hardly survive, as they don’t survive beyond 30 days.
It, therefore, called for heightened awareness and proactive measures to combat the high incidence of stroke in Nigeria.
It revealed 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 per cent of strokes are preventable.
Lafiya360 reports that the Coordinating Minister of Health, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate made this known in Abuja, during the commemoration of this year’s World Stroke Day, with the theme: “Together we are GreaterThan Stroke.”
He explained that the high incidence of stroke in Nigeria is driven by the prevalent risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, poor dietary choices, alcohol use, smoking, and a sedentary lifestyle. Hypertension alone contributes to up to 90 per cent of all stroke cases, he added.
He said, “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.
“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 support heart emergencies, the Nigerian Heart Foundation 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.
Prof. Pate announced that strategic policy documents aimed at preventing cardiovascular diseases have been developed, including a National Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) Policy, Multi-Sectoral Action Plan on NCDs and National Guidelines for prevention, control and management of hypertension. Also, the Ministry has also developed guidelines for other NCDs like diabetes and sickle cell disease, and is currently implementing the National Tobacco Control Act 2015 and Regulations 2019.
He urged health workers to come together to share key messages on stroke prevention and take action that will help individuals understand and address these risks.
In his remarks, the Director of Public Health Department, Dr. Chukwuma Anyaike stated that Nigeria bears a significant burden of stroke noting that current data indicates crude stroke prevalence rates as high as 1,331 cases.
He further revealed from Hospital-based data that stroke is the most common cause of adult neurological admissions in many parts of the country. Alarmingly, up to 40 per cent of patients admitted for acute strokes in Nigeria do not survive beyond 30 days. Many survivors are left with varying degrees of disability and face substantial lifetime costs due to rehabilitation and social reintegration.