Health experts have called for free hypertension treatment, stronger policy implementation, and increased funding to address the rising prevalence of high blood pressure in Nigeria. The appeal was made during a panel discussion organised by the Legislative Advocacy Initiative for Sustainable Development (LISDEL) in Abuja on Friday, ahead of World Hypertension Day on May 17. The event's theme was "Controlling Hypertension Together: Check Your Blood Pressure Regularly, Defeat the Silent Killer."
Experts warned that poor blood pressure control is contributing to increasing cases of stroke, heart failure, and kidney disease across the country. Prof. Felicia Anuma of the Nigeria Heart Foundation stated that over 25 per cent of Nigerian adults live with hypertension, a rise she linked to urbanisation and changing lifestyles. Risk factors include high-salt, high-fat diets, physical inactivity, alcohol use, smoking, and chronic stress.
Anuma noted that cultural perceptions associating overweight with prosperity hinder prevention efforts. Francis Okonkwo of the Patients Advocacy Working Group said hypertension treatment is largely out-of-pocket, unlike HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis care, forcing patients to choose between medication and basic needs. He recounted a case of a patient whose condition improved but who died shortly after discharge due to poor disease control.
Prof. Emmanuel Alhassan of the Global Health Advocacy Incubator stressed the need for lifelong medication and lifestyle changes, cautioning against unproven herbal remedies without clinical validation. Nanlop Ogbureke of Resolve to Save Lives Nigeria cited a pilot programme in Kano State integrating hypertension care into primary health services through blood pressure monitors and essential drugs.
Experts urged routine blood pressure checks, reduced salt intake, healthy weight, and avoidance of alcohol and smoking. They advocated for public awareness campaigns in local languages, stronger healthcare infrastructure, and multisectoral collaboration. They also recommended free or subsidised treatment and improved implementation of national non-communicable disease policies.
The same experts calling for free hypertension treatment have long accepted out-of-pocket payments as the norm, exposing a disconnect between current realities and proposed solutions. If over 25 per cent of adults have hypertension, as Prof. Anuma stated, then millions are already navigating care without support. Recommending free treatment now suggests years of preventable strain on households. The shift in position raises questions about earlier silence on cost barriers.
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