World Stroke Day: Over 1,000 screened for stroke in Anambra

No fewer than 1,000 persons were on Thursday screened for stroke at the First Stroke Risk Assessment Symposium organised at Otuocha, Aguleri in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra.
The symposium was organised by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Willie Obiano on Health, in collaboration with Stroke Investigative Research, Education Network and Blossom Centre for Neuro-Rehabilitation.
The symposium entitled “Promoting Good Health and Wellbeing by creating Awareness on Stroke”, was part of activities to mark this year’s World Stroke Day commemorated on October 29.
Delivering a lecture at the event, Prof. Mayowa Owolabi, the Dean, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, University of Ibadan, described stroke as the second killer disease in the world.
Owolabi, represented by Dr Kingsley Nwankwo from the Stroke Control Innovation Initiative of Nigeria, advised people against all the risk factors that could metamorphose into stroke.
The professor said that high blood pressure, too much intake of alcohol and salt, stress, obesity, depression among others, could lead to stroke.
According to him, statistics have shown that one in every adult above the age of 25 years is hypertensive.
He harped on the need for regular checkups, eating of balanced diet and regular exercises, to escape the risks associated with stroke, adding that stroke could be managed, if detected early.
The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Willie Obiano on Health, Kate Edozien, explained that the symposium was organised to complement the efforts of the state government in the health sector.
She said: “A health risk assessment is a powerful screening tool, which is often the first step to any medical diagnosis implemented to gain a clear understanding of the population’s evolving health status and risks.
“Risk assessment can motivate the individual to identify point of risk exposure and adopt healthier lifestyle.”
In a goodwill message, Chinedu Obidigwe, a former Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters and sponsor of the event, urged people to take good care of their health at all times.
Obidigwe said: “There have been series of complaints about youths, women and men in various hospitals diagnosed with stroke, hence, the need for the symposium and screening to enable them to know when they approach the risk stage.”