Hypertension: How African countries can save lives

<p>M R Micheal Uchunor was 31 years old when he developed a stroke. The brother called out for help after he was found on his bed with slurred speech and unable to walk. Since he recovered, he has been going around telling people to guard against stroke by making sure they control their blood pressure.</p>, <p>“In 2012, I was told at the hospital that I had a stroke due to hypertension. I couldn’t talk for nine months, but could only nod in response to questions. After I was discharged in Lagos, my brothers took me to Ghana to complete my treatment,” Uchnor retorted.</p>, <p>His life journey was truncated by stroke. His wedding was called off. The wife-to-be left him, claiming she cannot marry a cripple. Even though he is back on his feet, he still experiences some forgetfulness from time to time.</p>, <p>He added “stroke is very expensive to treat; once you have a stroke, you are alone, with no money and rejected by society. What kept me alive is the support I received from my extended family and God. Many individuals with stroke are neglected, some locked away by relatives to die. What I do now is to take campaign on stroke and hypertension as its major cause around Catholic churches.”</p>, <p>Uchunor is just one of the thousands of people living with stroke. Many of the cases are linked with hypertension, the number one cause of preventable deaths globally. Yet, it is not receiving the required attention, especially in Africa.</p>, <p>Today, hypertension remains a neglected health challenge and the number one cause of death in Africa. Turning around its wheel was the aim of a two-day international conference on novel strategies for accelerating hypertension control in Africa.</p>, <p>Having as its theme, ‘African Control of Hypertension through Innovative Epidemiology and a Vibrant Ecosystem (ACHIEVE),’ the Centre for Genomics and Precision Medicine and African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA), University of Ibadan Centre of Excellence in Non-Communicable Diseases, organised the conference in partnership