‘The next stroke victim might be you’

Those were the words of experts at the just concluded seminar to commemorate World Stroke Day, saying the rate at which patients arrive at hospitals with stroke is alarming and drastic measures need to be put in place to turn the tide. Speaking during the commemoration of the World Stroke Day, which had as its […]

Those were the words of experts at the just concluded seminar to commemorate World Stroke Day, saying the rate at which patients arrive at hospitals with stroke is alarming and drastic measures need to be put in place to turn the tide.
Speaking during the commemoration of the World Stroke Day, which had as its theme, “Women and Stroke,” organised by the Nigeria Stroke Assembly, Mrs Gloria Ekeng, the founder of  Stroke Care International, said that over 16,000 cases are recorded annually in Nigeria but added that the figure could be much more since the country does not keep proper data.
She said, “The estimate is between 40 to 60 percent, our data is incomplete because we do not have the information on stroke cases in the villages and rural areas generally.”
Worldwide, it is estimated that from 2010, 18.1 million people would die annually from cardiovascular diseases and stroke.
Also, a Consultant Neurosurgeon, and Abuja Director, Stroke Action Nigeria, Dr Biodun Ogungbo, said that stroke is a disease common among the elderly, characterized by sudden loss of brain function.
“Three signs precede this condition. They are facial weakness, speech problem and arm weakness.”
According to Ogungbo, many Nigerians live with the condition because of their failure to control or manage the factors that induce the disease, which he named to include hypertension, obesity, smoking and failure to engage in exercises.
He said the best way for treating the condition is to prevent it, stressing that there is no cure for it anywhere around the globe.
“If you are not making effort to prevent stroke, then you will need more than three million naira to treat it. Stroke is not curable,” he said.
Giving an overview on stroke, an expert on the disease, Dr Saheed Alimi, said that stroke accounts for most emergency deaths in Nigeria, stressing that people with stroke die mainly around 58 years.
Unfortunately, he explained that in every 5 women one will develop stroke and the same could be said in every six men one will suffer from stroke.
Though the picture looks grim and critical, most Nigerians are not concerned about protecting themselves against stroke, they live their lives imbibing unhealthy habits that could endanger their lives.
According to Alimi, to avoid being one of the six women or men that could be diagnosed with stroke, he advised, “know your personal risk factors, know if you have high blood pressure, or diabetes, or if you are in danger of developing a high blood cholesterol.”
“To be safe you need to be physically active, exercise regularly, maintain a healthy diet high in fruit and vegetable and low in salt,” he added.
Florence Mbogu, a team facilitator with Stroke Action, speaking on the need to act fast when assisting a person suffering from stroke, said, “there are things you need to look out for; look at the face, has their face fallen on one side? Can they smile? Look at the arms, can they raise both arms and keep them there? Talk to them, is their speech slurred? If they have all these symptoms, then it is time to call for help or rush the person to the hospital.”
Nigerians have imbibed certain health hazards that are dangerous to their health and these include smoking, being overwieight, lack of exercise, poor diet and exceeding the recommended daily alcohol limit.
Also, a member of British Stroke Action Team and coordinator of the Nigeria Stroke Assembly, Mrs Rita Melifonwu, urged government to show greater commitment to the management of the disease.
She said, “As far as we know, as the evidence presented, more and more people are having stroke globally, not only in Nigeria. It is disturbing that people that are having stroke are getting younger and younger; more people under the age of 60 years. What this means is that by the year 2025, we will be having close to eight million strokes per year, globally.
However, what is sad is that though there is an existing MoU signed by Stroke Action Nigeria and the ministry of health, much still needs to be done to assist stroke victims.
Her words, “The stroke reference group will proceed to produce a stroke strategy for Nigeria as detailed in the MoU and oversee the stroke strategy implementation in terms of campaign, awareness, prevention and after care to the benefits of the Nigerian public.”