…Calls for early checks, healthier diets, exercise as warning signs go unnoticed
By Chioma Obinna
The Nigerian Heart Foundation, NHF, has disclosed that over 235,000 Nigerians die from cardiovascular diseases annually, warning that many heart conditions develop silently from childhood into adulthood.
The Foundation, at a press conference to mark the 2026 World Heart Day in Lagos, said heart-health education must begin in schools and extend to families to curb the rising burden of cardiovascular diseases.
The day, commemorated on September 29, was themed “Healthy Hearts: From the Classroom to the Families” by the NHF, while the global campaign of the World Heart Federation, WHF, focused on “Don’t Miss a Beat.”
The Foundation said globally, cardiovascular diseases account for 19.8 million of an estimated 63 million deaths annually, adding that at least 80 per cent of premature deaths from heart disease could be prevented by controlling five major risk factors, tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, harmful alcohol consumption and air pollution.
Executive Director of NHF, Dr Kingsley Akinroye, said cardiovascular diseases should no longer be regarded as conditions associated only with old age, stressing that prevention must start early.
He said, “The right time to get to the hospital is not to wait. The right time to know you have a heart disease is if you don’t wait at all.
“Do not wait for the heart to shout before you discover that you have a heart disease. By the time your heart makes noise, it’s getting too late.”
Akinroye urged adults to undergo medical checks at least once a year, particularly blood pressure checks, noting that hypertension was one of the most common cardiovascular conditions in Nigeria.
“The commonest heart disease we have in Nigeria is the blood pressure because the heart generates pressure. So you have to check. The blood pressure is called hypertension. So hypertension is very, very common,” he said.
He also warned against excessive salt consumption, saying unhealthy dietary habits acquired early in life could increase cardiovascular risks. “The commonest poison we eat is salt,” Akinroye said. “Though we want salt in our food, the salt we eat must not be too much.” He said families should encourage children to eat healthier foods, exercise regularly and undergo routine medical checks.
“The family needs to be aware. Because awareness is empowerment,” he said, urging parents to engage children in physical activities such as walking and exercise.
Akinroye also called for functional primary healthcare centres close to families to provide basic cardiovascular screening and early detection.
The Director of Communications, Mr Dele Adetiba, said educating children early could influence healthier choices across households.
“The best way to learn is when you are young. Before you form a habit,” he said, adding that children could also influence adults at home to adopt healthier lifestyles.
Speaking, Mrs. Edirin Metsegharun, Founder and Coordinator of the Passion for Healthy Kids Initiative (PHKI) urged schools and families to work together through Parent-Teacher Association, PTA, platforms, with professionals providing regular health education.
Meanwhile, the NHF called for stronger government investment in cardiovascular disease prevention, treatment and access to medicines.
Akinroye said the high cost of treatment and dependence on imported medicines were major challenges, urging greater investment in local production of cardiovascular drugs and expanded access to cardiac treatment.
The Foundation also revived its “Keep the Beat” challenge, encouraging Nigerians to engage in regular physical activity as part of efforts to promote lifelong heart health.
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