Minister
of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, has lamented the rate of death in
Nigeria resulting from unhealthy diet which are hypertensive and at risk
of premature death.
Speaking while presenting the keynote address in Lagos, during the
First Annual Black Tie Gala event organised by the Tristate Heart
Foundation (THF), the Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, said that
too many Nigerians are dying of unhealthy diet even as he cautioned that
the economic loss from Non Communicable Diseases, such as stroke, High
Blood Pressure, heart attack, could rise to a projected US$8 billion
over the next 10 years in the country.
The minister who spoke at the event to raise N500 million in
support of cardiovascular care in Nigeria, observed that unhealthy diets
contribute significantly to the development of NCDs in Nigeria.
“Sadly, there is widespread low consumption of proteins, fruits
and vegetables and increasing patronage of fast food outlets by the
population. There is also large promotion of sweetened products such as
carbonated drinks, pastries, candies and other refined sugars, while
excessive intake of salt is promoted by food additives such as
monosodium glutamate common in delicacies such as suya, kilisi, isi-ewu,
ngwo-ngwo, among others."
Further, he remarked that current estimates, show that death rate
from stroke is 40-50 per cent within the first three months of
diagnoses, while 39 per cent of those who survived stroke after three
months died within a year, with 12 per cent developing severe
disability.
“I can say without fear of contradiction that at least five out
of 10 adults seated here tonight have elevated blood pressure and more
than half of these are not aware of their situation.
“This is frightening because the dire consequence of neglected
hypertension is stroke without warning. Unless we take drastic and
sustained actions, we will keep counting losses,” he said.
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