By Kemi Olatunde
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Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Wahab Adegbenro has called on the people of the state to embrace regular medical check up  in order to achieve early detection of Non Communicable Diseases (NCD).

Adegbenro made the call during the opening ceremony of a day Non Communicable Diseases awareness outreach programme on Thursday, in Akure.

According to him,  these diseases affect people of all age groups,  religions  bodies and countries adding that it is often associated with older people.

Listing the most common ones to include; Cancer and Cardiovascular diseases such as Hypertension and Diabetes, he described them as silent killers, noting that “it is observed that a lot of people are affected within the community.”

In his analysis, he said: “15million annual deaths occur among people aged 30-69 years and more than 85 percent of these deaths occur in low and middle income countries such as Nigeria and in vulnerable communities where access to preventive health care is lacking.”

The commissioner stated that the programme which emphasise on  free screening for Diabetes and Hypertension, is part of Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredoluadministration’s commitment to effective health care delivery to the people of the state.

In his welcome address, Acting Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Dipo Durojaye who was represented by Director,  Public Health, Dr. Ayodele Adelusi, noted that the challenges of NCD goes beyond government, saying “everybody including policy makers, must understand that these diseases pose a significant threat to personal as well as  economic well being and progress of any society.”

Programme Officer,  NCD,  Mrs Kofoworola Jegede, explained that these diseases affect developing nations more than developed ones, noting that “with the decline in prevalence of many infectious diseases and a steady increment of NCDs as major causes of death,  Nigeria and other Sub-Sahara African countries are undergoing epidemiological transition.”

Giving a lecture on Hypertension and Diabetes, State Epidermologist, Dr. Stephen Fagbemi, while describing these diseases as major NCDs globally, stressed the need for people to change their perception about the diseases.

Speaking extensively on hypertension, he explained that it is in this part of the world, that there is no known cause for it and added that there are risk factors associated with it.

A participant from Owo Local Government, Mrs Esther Anunobi commended government for the programme, saying “anything that can prolong one’s life is a commendable effort.”

Another participant and a market woman,  Alhaja Fabunmi Simbiat who described the event as an educative one advised the people of the state to visit hospitals for regular check up.