Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has called for a change in lifestyle choices to reduce the burden of stroke, which is a leading cause of physical disability across the globe and the second leading cause of death.
The governor said this in commemoration of the World Stroke Day marked by the World Stroke Foundation.
Obaseki said, “In commemoration of World Stroke Day, it is important for health workers, civil society organisations and relevant Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to collaborate with the government in raising awareness for the prevention and treatment of stroke. To address the challenge, there is a need to make critical lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of the life-threatening health condition.”
“On our part as a government, we want to encourage people, especially adults, to be circumspect, go for regular health checks and make a concerted effort to adhere to health regimes that reduce the risk of stroke. Despite being the leading cause of disability worldwide and the second leading cause of death, stroke can be prevented. Hence, it is necessary to be cautious.”
According to Obaseki, adults should adapt to life choices such as regular exercises and dancing, which keep the body active to prevent stroke.
He added that with the health policies put in place by the state government such as the Edo State Health Improvement Programme (Edo-HIP) and the state-wide health insurance scheme, there would be better healthcare to detect deteriorating health and provide adequate service to halt the menace of preventable health conditions.
The governor said his administration will also continue to provide the needed structure to encourage more people to go for regular medical checkups and enable more adults in rural and semi-urban areas access medical basic services.
