Many journalists hypertensive but not aware – Medical expert

Dr Okro Sulaiman of the Community Medicine and Primary Healthcare, Federal Medical Centre(FMC), Abeokuta, Ogun State, has lamented that many journalists in the state are hypertensive but unaware of their health status.

Sulaiman stated this during a free medical outreach organized by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ogun State Council, held at the council secretariat, Oke Ilewo, Abeokuta on Thursday.

The outreach themed, ” Know Your Health Status ” had not less than 150 journalists screened on various types of checkups ranging from blood pressure, blood sugar, body mass index, and HIV among others, while the beneficiaries also had opportunities to consult doctors, receiving counselling and drugs.

Suleiman, who spoke at the end of the screening exercise, lamented that over 75 percent of the journalists screened were hypertensive.

He advised media professional to cut down their consumption of alcohol, salt, and smoking habits, eat vegetables, fruits and engage in exercise.

The senior registrar at FMC also urged those diagnosed to be judicious with their drug use and visit the clinic often.

He said, “The medical outreach is to take care of the health needs of our journalists in the state and this outreach was made possible by the FMC’s management in collaboration with the NUJ.

“We have 3 doctors, 5 nurses and 5 community health extension workers, pharmacists and laboratory scientists here.

“And I can say about 75 percent of those people I attended to today are actually hypertensive and that tells a lot about their health status and many of them don’t even know. It is important as journalists irrespective of the job you do to keep up with checking your health status. And this could be done by walking into any health facility to check yourself.

Admitting that the current economic hardship can lead people to hypertension, Suleiman, however, advised that journalists should learn to manage their health, saying “If the economic stress doesn’t kill you then hypertension that you develop as a result of the stress could kill you.”

Meanwhile, the NUJ Secretary, Bunmi Adigun said the outreach was part of activities marking the 2024 NUJ Press Week and an avenue to show the members that the council values and takes their health into consideration.