22nd May, 2026
ABUJA – In a move to check the rising cases of hypertension, high blood pressure and diabetes among the residents of Abuja and the nation in general, the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare organised a road walk to sensitise the public on the risks associated with these killer diseases.
The event took off from the premises of the Federal Secretariat Complex, and was championed by the office of the Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, and implemented by the Non-Communicable Diseases Control Division of the Department of Public Health, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), in partnership with non-governmental agencies and international organisations.
This was against the backdrop of the marking of the World Hypertension Day on the 22nd of May 2026, as staff of the ministry undertook a 2 kilometre-walk to share informational flyers to pedestrians and motorists between the Federal Secretariat Complex, via the corporate offices of the NPHCDA, and finally culminating into a string of public awareness presentations, in both English and local languages, at the premises of Garki Ultra-Modern Market, Abuja.
Speaking with the press at the commencement of the event, several Heads of Departments of the Ministry, like Dr. Malau M. Toma, Cardiovascular Diseases and Tobacco Control, Dr. Suleiman A. Lamorde, Non-Communicable Disease Unit, NPHCDA, and Bunmi Oshundele, Coordinating Unit, NCDS Central Division, took turns to inform the public about the statistics surrounding the leading causes of preventable death by hypertension, high blood pressure and diabetes, proffering alternative measures, in a bid to prevent mortality, and improve chances of a healthier lifestyle.
Other partners present, such as Ademuyiwa Damilola, Director of Programmes, Legislative Initiative for Sustainable Development(LISDEL) and Dr. Onyekachi Osabiku, Senior Technical Advisor, Hypertension Control, Resolve To Save Lives(RTSL), hammered on the need for government to provide funding to cover non-communicable diseases like hypertension, just as is the case for infectious and communicable diseases, and encouraged adults above the age of 18 years old to follow preventive guidelines, as well as making regular blood pressure check-ups a norm rather than the exception, in order to combat the mortality rate associated with high blood pressure and diabetes.
The Public Health Awareness Road Walk to mark the 2026 World Hypertension Day has its theme as “Controlling Hypertension Together: Check Your Blood Pressure Regularly, Defeat The Silent Killer”.
One in three people, globally, have high blood pressure, with only one in two people being aware of it, making it the number one risk for global health. With no symptoms to indicate it’s presence, about 10 million lives are lost yearly to high blood pressure complications.
Raymond Ken-Mbata reporting for Health Pharm Media.
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