By Justina Auta
The Legislative Initiative for Sustainable Development (LISDEL) has called for affordable hypertension care, warning that only one in eight Nigerians with high blood pressure has it under control nationwide currently.
The organisation made the call in a statement signed by its Programme Director, Mr Damilola Ademuyiwa, to commemorate the 2026 World Heart Day, themed, “Don’t Miss a Beat.”
Ademuyiwa urged government and stakeholders to move beyond awareness to sustained hypertension care, adding that awareness alone would not reduce deaths from high blood pressure unless care was affordable and sustained.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular disease (CVD) kills over 20 million people globally each year, with about 80 per cent of deaths linked to preventable or manageable risks.
It also estimates that 1.4 billion people lived with hypertension in 2024, but only slightly more than one in five had their blood pressure controlled, highlighting gaps in treatment worldwide.
He said that a nationwide survey in Nigeria put adult hypertension prevalence at 38.1 per cent, with only 12.4 per cent of those affected having their blood pressure controlled.
“CVD accounts for an estimated 29 per cent of all deaths in the country, and the number of Nigerians living with hypertension has been projected to reach 39.1 million by 2030, from 20.8 million in 2010.
“The condition is not confined to older persons: prevalence was recorded at 6.8 per cent among adults below 30 years,” he said, highlighting concerns about younger Nigerians’ cardiovascular health.
He expressed concern that many Nigerians pay for blood pressure checks and medicines from their pockets, leading some to stop treatment when funds became unavailable or household finances deteriorated significantly.
“Most Nigerians pay for blood pressure checks and medicines out of pocket, and many interrupt treatment once money runs short,” he said, emphasising the financial barriers facing patients nationwide.
He noted that health insurance coverage remained low, particularly among informal sector workers, with many enrollees unaware of available hypertension services and benefits that could support continued treatment and monitoring.
“The control rate rose from 22 per cent to 56 per cent between 2020 and 2023,” he said, noting progress while emphasising the need for sustained investment and coverage.
The Programme Director emphasised that checking blood pressure was only the beginning without access to affordable treatment, regular follow-up and continued support for patients living with hypertension and related complications.
“Knowing your numbers is the first step, not the destination. A free blood pressure check today means little if the patient cannot afford medicines next month,” he said.
He urged the government to integrate hypertension screening, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up into routine primary healthcare services, alongside functional blood pressure equipment, trained health workers and steady supplies of essential medicines.
He also urged the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and state health insurance agencies to include hypertension consultations, diagnostics and medicines in benefit packages, while calling for more funding for non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
He also called on the National Assembly to increase the Basic Health Care Provision Fund from one per cent to two per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund and pass the Customs and Excise amendment on sugar-sweetened beverages.
He, therefore, advised Nigerians to regularly check their blood pressure, adhere to treatment, reduce salt intake, stay active and enrol in health insurance schemes to improve prevention and control.
He explained that the advocacy was being implemented under its APH-FiP project, supported by the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), to strengthen policy action on hypertension care nationwide and expand access.(NAN)
Edited by Abiemwense Moru
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