The Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Adaeze Oreh, has stated that hypertension is a silent killer that affects millions of people globally.
Dr. Oreh, who stated this last Friday in Port Harcourt, while addressing newsmen during the commemoration of the 2024 World Hypertension Day, noted that an estimated 46 percent of adults with hypertension are unaware that they have the condition.
“Less than half of adults (42 percent) with hypertension are diagnosed and treated with the disease. It is a major risk factor for health disease, stroke, and other serious health conditions, which many persons are not aware of”, she said.
While emphasising on this year’s theme, “Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, and Live Longer”, the Commissioner stressed the need for accurate measurement of blood pressure to control hypertension, especially in low and middle income areas.
According to her, a systematic review with analysis conducted by the Federal Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2018, indicates that while the prevalence of hypertension is 37.2 percent, that of heart disease was about 27 percent.
She further noted that report from WHO shows that about 1.28billion adults (30-79 years) globally are living with hypertension.
The Commissioner, however, urged citizens of the State “to take control of their health, and prioritise regular blood pressure screening, promote healthy lifestyle choices to avoid cases of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and other related health conditions that could lead to instant death”.

By: Sogbeba Dokubo

The Manager, Peace Building Foundation for Partnership Initiative in Niger Delta, (PIND), Dr David Udofia, has advised media practitioners to be advocates of peace in the face of Rivers political crisis.
Udofia gave the advice during a meeting between PIND and the Step-Up Media for Women Initiative (SWIJ), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), in Port Harcourt.
PIND is also an NGO that promotes peace and equitable economic growth in the Niger Delta region through strategic partnership and collaboration.
The PIND boss said the organisation is open to ideas, partnerships and collaboration in order to work towards creating positive impact within the region.
He also said for peace to reign and economic activities to strive in the region, the two pillars must move together.
According to him, when there is peace, there is transformation for economic development and the economic development can also foster peace.
Udofia urged media practitioners to continue to play a significant role to ensure that the political crisis in the state did not escalate through their reportage.
He said under the peace building programme pillars, the organisation had two mega projects, which were Partners for Peace and Integrated Peace and Peace Development Unit.
According to him, PIND works within the peace building programme to create enabling environment for socio-economic and political activities to thrive in the region and also for media practitioners to move and work freely in the state, noting that PIND had at least 11,000 peace actors across the region within the peace building programme.
“Recently, we carried out intervention activities in four states against specific headers-farmers crisis in Delta, Ondo, Cross River and Edo States.
“We also had trainings in an early warning and early response platform unique to PIND”, Udofia said.
He gave assurance that PIND would partner with SWIJ, having seen that its work fell in line with the PIND’s core values, which centred on sustainability, mentorship, integrity, transparency and accountability.
“We will collaborate with your organisation to change the narratives in the region, especially as it affects women and girls in the region”, he said.
Earlier, the Executive Director of SWIJ, Mrs Ann Godwin, said the aim of the visit was to collaborate with PIND to further the groups’ objectives towards peace building, women empowerment and equitable economic development in the region.
Godwin said SWIJ had observed with interest, the programmes and policies of PIND in promoting, training and empowering women and deemed it necessary to collaborate with the organisation to amplify the voices of women, build their capacity and change the narratives on gender-based issues.
She further said that SWIJ, as an organisation that promotes excellence among women and girls, also focuses on issues of gender mainstreaming as one of its core values.
She argued that the era of gender disparity, when women were relegated to the back stage, was over.
According to her, there is a phenomenal rise of African Women, who are making great impact in different sectors of the economy.
She expressed optimism that the collaboration with PIND would engender richer impacts among women and girls in the region.

The Eze Mbam Abali, Eze Christopher Wonodi, has said Governor Siminalayi Fubara must succeed because he has come to work for Rivers people.
He, therefore, urged Rivers people to give their full supports to the Governor.
Eze Wonodi, who is also the Eze Risiohia of Rebisi Kingdom, said this in an interview with newsmen at his palace in Port Harcourt.
The Second Class traditional ruler, who was reacting to the numerous projects earmarked for commissioning and flag-off as part of the one year anniversary of the Governor, said Governor Fubara must succeed because he has come to work for the people of Rivers State.
“We thank God first and foremost that we are all living to see today and seeing what is happening in our State, the kind of peaceful Governor that God has given to us.
“Since he has come to work for Rivers people, it is a must that he must succeed”, he said.
The traditional ruler stressed the need for all hands to be on deck with a view to making the Governor succeed.
“Every hands should be on deck to support him to do the work which he has come to do so that Rivers State will be lifted once more”, he said.
He particularly praised the Governor for his peaceful disposition to issues, adding that this will surely attract investors into the State as no investor will want to invest in any place where there is no peace.
“Again, in areas of development, socially and economically, the Governor is doing everything to promote and make our State viable for everyone, so let us put our hands together to see that he moves on”, he stated.
Eze Wonodi also praised the Governor for restoring peace to Port Harcourt City and tackling the incessant traffic congestion in the city.
He said the people of Port Harcourt City and the entire Rebisi Kingdom will continue to support Governor Fubara to succeed.

By: John Bibor