WORRIED by the increasing cases of sudden death among Nigerians,
authorities of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State, last week assembled
specialists in medicine who tutored the staff and students of the institution
on various ways of staying healthy.
The medical experts, who were drawn
from Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi and National Health
Insurance Scheme, NHIS, also conducted free medical examination for the staff
and students of the polytechnic.
The Rector of the Polytechnic, Dr. Francisca Nwafulugo attributed the
increasing sudden death in Nigeria to lack of awareness on health issues,
advising that people should take their health care very serious.
Nwafulugo regretted that the
institution recently buried some staff and students, who were on active
service, adding that the development made it necessary to mount the health
exercise to educate the people on the need to examine themselves at regular intervals.
She said: “This sensitization programme is apt and timely, especially with
the high rate of sudden death in the country. I thank the medical director of
Oko Polytechnic for organizing this health sensitization campaign because over
the years, people including our staff, had neglected their health status
presuming that all is well.
“The essence of this sensitization,
therefore, is to get people to take their health related matters very serious
and ensure a routine check on their health.
A consultant Cardiologist at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching
Hospital, Nnewi, Dr. Obichukwu Mathew emphasized on the need for routine
medical check-ups to keep track of health challenges and identify potential
problems at an early stage. According to him, Nigerians should realize that it
is the living that works and earns a decent living, regretting that many people
neglect their health only for their families to lose them to sudden death.
He explained that hypertension
occurs when one’s blood pressure rises above 140/90, but could be managed by
regular exercises, stress reduction, regular monitoring of one’s blood
pressure, eating healthy diet and avoidance of excessive alcohol, as well as
quitting smoking.
