In Lagos Cardiologist identifies major challenges to hypertension management

A Consultant Cardiologist, Dr Obi Emerole has identified high cost of medication and lack of follow up care as major challenges to the management of hypertension in the country.

Emerole, who is the President, Cardiovascular Education Foundation, an NGO, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.

According to him, people diagnosed with hypertension but cannot afford medication are more likely to develop heart failure, kidney failure, and stroke.

"Lots of people who are diagnosed with hypertension are unable to afford the medications and they are unable to afford the follow up care.

"And so, the main difference between the management here and in some other societies which have better healthcare systems is that people with hypertension who are unable to get the treatment are more likely to develop heart failure, stroke, kidney failure and other complications of hypertension.

"To the extent that we are able to affect policy, it will be in terms of making sure that these effective medications for hypertension are available to most people who are diagnosed with hypertension.

"And that they can go for follow up regularly and that they can be checked for the potential complications and if those are detected early, appropriate therapy can be initiated."

The consultant spoke of the need to put in place a system of care that would cater for persons, who cannot afford adequate healthcare.

We need to have a system of care that pays for the poor to get adequate healthcare.

"I think the greatest challenge that I see is developing a health insurance system that will pay for modern healthcare for everybody in the country.

"And it will involve a more robust National Health Insurance Scheme than what we have now and that is able to pay for all levels of care.

"And it will involve expanding the private health insurance schemes, so that almost everybody, if not everybody that is employed is buying into it.

"So, ultimately, for us to have the kind of healthcare delivery that can cater for the people, we have to be buying from all sectors.

"It is going to require a change in philosophy, it is going to require political will and it is going to require a lot of resources, human and material resources."