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Take Responsibility For Your Heart, NHF Tells Nigerians

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L-R- Prof. Olugbenga Ogunmoyela Member Nutrition Council of the Nigerian Heart Foundation; Prof. Akin Osibogun, the Chairman of the NHF for the 2025 World Heart Day and Mr Abiola Awe, the Communication Advisor NHF at the commemoration of the 2025 World Health Day on Monday in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The Nigerian Heart Foundation (NHF) on Monday advised Nigerians to adopt healthy habits and take responsibility for their heart health to prevent cardiovascular diseases and deaths.
Dr Kingsley Akinroye, the Executive Director of the NHF, alongside other medical experts, gave the charge at the commemoration of the 2025 World Heart Day in Lagos.
The foundation’s advice aligns with the theme of the 2025 World Heart Day: “Don’t Miss A Beat.”
Calling for collective responsibility to create healthier environments, Akinroye said:  “Everyone has the choice to protect their heart health.
“Governments, towns, cities, villages, faith-bases organisations and civil society organisations have salient roles to promote a heart healthy population”.
Akinroye, who called for more awareness campaign and education, urged the National Assembly to ensure improved health insurance to promote cardiovascular health.
“We should look at the role of the national health insurance, bringing hypertension as one of the diseases which is being catered for.
“Legislators in their communities should pay for people to enroll in health insurance.
“We should look into this aspect to see the role of insurance in the promotion of cardiovascular health,” Akinroye said.
In his address, Prof. Akin Osibogun, the Chairman of the NHF’s  World Heart Day 2025 event, said that  annually, cardiovascular diseases claimed the lives of  no fewer than 20 million people all over the world.
According to him, this comes with consequences on families, villages and communities.
Osibogun said: “ The theme `Don’t Miss a Beat’ is a reminder to all of us to remember the everyday choices that we can make to protect our hearts  and that we have a choice to move more, eat healthier and build health friendly and active communities.”
He called on Nigerian government to foster policies and regulations to promote healthy living.
According to him, the responsibilities are not for individuals but are for communities, villages, towns, and cities, government, schools, faith-bases organisations and civil society organisations to make impactful choices.
Osibogun said: “We need urban and rural spaces that prioritise clear air, active living, nutritious food and equitable access to care.
“On this 25th anniversary of World Heart Day, NHF is promoting action for individuals, families and communities so that several millions of Nigerians who are vulnerable to heart diseases can help themselves to drastically reduce the risks.
“In addition, the World Heart Federation has already identified bias and inadequate treatment as a major threat to millions of people at risk from obesity and heart disease.
“This 25th year, is an opportunity for a call to action for improved cardiovascular care, increased awareness and policy initiatives.
“This is to ensure equitable access for treatment and prevention strategies to decrease cardiovascular disease as a leading killer disease.
“The above strategies are commitments to which Nigerian Heart Foundation continues to emphasise since its establishment more than 30 years ago.”
According to him, it is time to walk the talk and for action on prevention and treatment of Hypertension at our Primary Health Centres ( PHCs ).
He said that hypertension is the commonest heart disease in Nigeria’s adult population and most of the 774 PHC’s lacked personnel and basic drugs for treatment of hypertension.
“Our governments at all levels must commit to making full treatment options available, accessible and affordable by integrating care for hypertensives into PHC services,” he added.
He sought support for initiatives and promotion of community-based projects to provide guidance and research linked to effective drug availability and healthy nutrition.
The chairman said that such support should also prompt an increase in the consumption of fruits, vegetables and less salt consumption among citizens, alongside a 10 per cent cent average increase in physical activity.
“Every heart beat counts. The theme is a reminder of the value and importance of each heart beat. If the heart is affected every part of the body is affected.
“We must be deliberate in taking steps to drastically reduce deaths due to cardiovascular diseases,” he said.
Also, Prof. Olugbenga Ogunmoyela, Member, Nutrition Council, NHF, urged Nigerians to be particular about their food choices to live long.
He called for increased consumption of fruits and vegetables apart from physical exercises to keep the heart beating.
Also, Dr Dolapo Coker, Member, Nutrition Council, NHF, who spoke on diet, called on stakeholders to checkmate consumption of energy drinks, especially among artisans, saying caffeine overstimulates the heart.
Also, Prof. Adebayo Adeyemi, Director of Scientific Affairs, NHF, said that challenges affecting physical exercises remained absence of functional playgrounds in most residential estates, calling for one or two playgrounds for the children and parents in estates and residential areas.
Rolling out activities for a month-long commemoration of the 25th Anniversary of the World Heart Day, Mr Abiola Awe, Communication Advisor, NHF, said that the foundation had partnered private/corporate organisation, schools, fitness centres to propagate heart health campaigns.
He said that each partner would engage in 25 minutes exercises including walking, jumping, running, squatting, skipping, jogging, dancing and others for 25 days in the month of October.
Awe added that the NHF would also embark on free screening of vitals in schools, supermarkets, gyms, and fitness centres in Lagos to commemorate the World Heart Month. (NAN).
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