pharmacy
As part of advocacy to reduce cardiovascular diseases in the country, healthcare practitioners have enlightened residents of Mushin community on how to avoid factors that predispose people to heart and other Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). They embarked on the outreach in commemoration of 2023 World Heart Day (WHD), recently organised by Bond Chemical Industries Limited.
Speaking with Pharmanewsonline at the programme, Pharm. Stephen Onojomete, chief pharmacist, Federal Medical Centre, Ebute Metta, Lagos, noted that the exercise was aimed at reducing deaths caused by cardiovascular diseases (CVD).
According to him, the risk factors for heart diseases are well known and largely preventable, adding that being overweight and obese, tobacco use, alcohol intake and insufficient physical activities are significantly modifiable and preventable risk factors for heart diseases and other NCDs.
He added, “I have heard some arguments that cardiovascular disease is only for the rich, and I disagree vehemently as it is a disease of everybody. It doesn’t have much to do with financial status, whether rich or poor, everyone is prone to it.
“There are people who eat late-night food, and have uncontrolled lifestyles, so it can happen to anybody. The economic condition is also another factor as everybody is thinking, stressed and overburdened, so emotional issues can also open the door to it”.
Emphasising on this year’s theme, ‘Use heart, know heart” the experienced pharmacist stressed that the heart is the engine of the body, saying if the heart stops working, it becomes a big problem.
Also speaking at the health outreach, Pharm. Isaac Melfah, product manager, Bond Chemical Industries Limited, revealed statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO) show that CVDs are the leading NCDs, and are the foremost cause of death globally, taking an estimated 17.9 million lives each year.
He described Bond as a responsible organisation, which values relationships with its clients, adding that as a company that is corporately and socially responsible, it is aware that sometimes, finding the solution to clients’ health problems goes beyond medications to offering basic advice on lifestyle changes that could eventually help to improve their health.
“With this outing, Bond Chemical according to our slogan ‘We Give Hope’, we are here to give hope to our host community and its inhabitants so as to let them know that when there is life, there is hope and to also tell them that it is only those who have good health that can have a fulfilling life.
Also at the programme, the duo of Mrs Ruth Nwachukwu, programme officer, and Mrs Catherine Olukotun, product team lead, and health coordinator, DOAM Foundation, noted that regular health examinations and tests can help detect health problems before they become complicated and sometimes untreatable.
A resident, Mrs Florence Debeodero, thanked the company for organising the free health screening, adding that a lot of people are going about with serious ailments because they cannot afford to pay for medical check-ups to determine their health status.”
“This exercise by Bond Chemical will help a lot of people know their health status and seek for help on time– before it is too late,” she said.
Another resident, Mrs Modinat Opaleye, a 53-year-old trader, said it was important to get screened, even when one was feeling perfectly healthy. She added that she has never had the opportunity to get herself screened before.
The event which witnessed a large turnout of participants from within and outside the Mushin community had volunteer health workers from the Ikeja Unique Lions Club, DOAM Foundation, Bond’s staff, as well as pharmacists to provide consultancy services and conduct free screening such as blood pressure check, blood sugar test, malaria test, among others.
