The Ogun State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, has said statewide screening of residents for diabetes and hypertension will begin on October 28.
According to Coker, the purpose of the screening is to provide citizens with the knowledge they need to take charge of their health, avoid avoidable non-communicable diseases, and know their current condition.
The commissioner disclosed this on Thursday while briefing newsmen at the Health Ministry conference room, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta.
Coker noted that the initiative tagged ‘Project 10 Million—Know Your Number, Control Your Number’ is part of a national health promotion and awareness campaign spearheaded by the Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum, NHCF, and aimed at combating the increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases, particularly hypertension and diabetes.
She highlighted hypertension and diabetes as serious health concerns in Nigeria, accounting for nearly 27 per cent of all annual deaths, and calculated that the probability of dying from both disorders between the ages of 30 and 70 is 17 per cent.
The health commissioner stated that there was an urgent need for a thorough intervention to determine the prevalence rate, adding that the project had been approved by the Nigeria Governors Forum and backed by health commissioners from 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The exercise, which will begin on October 28 and end on November 3, 2024, nationwide, is expected to capture 10 million Nigerians with a special focus on reaching underserved communities to ensure that vulnerable populations have equitable access to essential care.
Coker assured that the initiative will be extended to the 236 wards across Ogun 20 local government areas and that it will be accessible at all primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare facilities as well as in churches, mosques, parks and markets throughout the state.
“This campaign is not only about screening; it is about saving lives through preventative care. Our objectives for Project 10 Million in Ogun State are clear: screen a significant number of our residents for hypertension and diabetes during the campaign week, provide immediate counselling and referrals for individuals with suboptimal results and link newly detected cases to treatment facilities for ongoing care,” she said.
She urged all residents who are 18 years of age or older to visit designated facilities to get screened.
