An associate professor at the Department of Epidemiology and Community Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin, Dr Hafsat Abolore Ameen, has encouraged Nigerians to cultivate the habit of knowing their health status to avoid sudden death.
Ameen gave this advice recently while delivering a health talk as part of the annual Ramadan lecture of the Ilorin Emirate Staff Association, University of Ilorin, the renowned health educator explained that most of the sudden deaths usually recorded are not sudden in the real sense of it.
“This occurred due to ignorance or outright negligence of symptoms of terminal illnesses by careless individuals”, she said.
Ameen explained that it is important for individuals to go for regular health check-ups to know their Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar level, Lipid profile and Body Mass Index (BMI), among others.
She added that those who are obese or found with any of those health conditions or are offsprings of those who have any of the identified health challenges should take the periodic evaluation more serious for them to remain healthy.
Ameen, who is also a Consultant Epidemiologist at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), insisted that no situation should prevent adults from being responsible and responsive to their health needs.
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She also urged the Federal Government to commit more resources to the health sector given the significance of a healthy population to the progress of a nation.
Ameen noted that the various health insurance programmes and policies of the Federal and State Governments should also be made more popular and affordable among the ordinary people of the country.
The lecturer added that when people are able to access health facilities and purchase recommended drugs, their health situations will improve and they will be able to contribute more meaningfully to national development.
She also suggested that the government should evolve and implement good public policies and programmes that would not put the citizens under unnecessary pressure, which would in turn have negative effects on their health.
While charging individuals to ensure that they live in healthy and sanitized environments, Ameen similarly appealed to the Federal Government through its relevant agencies to ensure that drugs and foods consumed by the public space are of high quality and not substandard.
Ameen noted that the quality of health enjoyed by people is significantly determined by the quality of the foods and drugs they consume as well as the environment they live in.