World Hypertension Day: RSG Urges Citizens On Regular Check

As the world marks the World Hypertension Day, the Rivers State Government has urged citizens to always check their blood pressure and engage in healthy lifestyle.
Commissioner for Health, Prof. Princewill Chike, gave the charge in a broadcast to mark the day in Port Harcourt.
He warned that high blood pressure is a silent killer hence the signs and symptoms do not appear early and many die without ignorantly.
Against this backdrop, he urged members of the public to always be on the alert of their health and engage in lifestyles that will keep their blood pressure safe.
Prof. Chike revealed that statistics made available reveal that the South- South region has the second highest incidence of high blood pressure with 44.6 percent of the population having the ailment.
Noting that 1.28 billion people across the world suffer from high blood pressure, Chike said two third of this population are in low income countries as Nigeria.
To this end, he advised citizens to eschew from bad habits such as cigarette smoking, over consumption of alcohol, and adding too much  salt to their meals, as these may worsen blood pressure.
Already, he stated that the state government has put in place facilities to address the menace with the establishment of Dr. Peter Odili Cancer and Cardiovascular Centre, including the renovated Kelsey Harrison hospital and other zonal hospitals in various local government areas to tackle the problem of heart diseases.

By: Kevin Nengia