By Desire Uzochukwu
The Nigerian Heart Foundation (NHF) has raised the alarm over the growing burden of cardiovascular diseases in Nigeria, disclosing that more than 235,000 Nigerians die from heart-related diseases annually.
The Foundation warned that many heart conditions develop silently, with risk factors often beginning in childhood and continuing into adulthood without obvious warning signs.
Speaking at a press conference in Lagos to commemorate the 2026 World Heart Day, the NHF called for early heart-health education in schools and families, regular medical checks, healthier diets and increased physical activity.
World Heart Day was marked on September 29. While the NHF adopted the theme, “Healthy Hearts: From the Classroom to the Families,” the global campaign of the World Heart Federation (WHF) focused on “Don’t Miss a Beat.”
According to the Foundation, cardiovascular diseases account for about 19.8 million of an estimated 63 million deaths globally each year.
It said at least 80 per cent of premature deaths from heart disease could be prevented by controlling major risk factors, including tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, harmful alcohol consumption and air pollution.
Executive Director of the NHF, Dr Kingsley Akinroye, said heart disease should no longer be seen as a condition that affects only older people, stressing that prevention must begin 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 Nigerians, particularly adults, to undergo medical checks at least once a year, with regular blood pressure monitoring, noting that hypertension remained one of the most common cardiovascular conditions in the country.
“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 cautioned against excessive salt consumption, warning that 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 urged families to encourage children to eat healthier meals, engage in regular physical activity and undergo routine health checks.
“The family needs to be aware. Because awareness is empowerment,” he said, urging parents to engage children in activities such as walking and exercise.
The NHF executive director also called for functional primary healthcare centres located close to communities to provide basic cardiovascular screening and facilitate early detection of heart conditions.
Director of Communications, NHF, Mr Dele Adetiba, said educating children about heart health early could help shape healthier lifestyles within households.
“The best way to learn is when you are young. Before you form a habit,” he said, noting that children could also influence adults at home to adopt healthier lifestyles.
Similarly, Founder and Coordinator of the Passion for Healthy Kids Initiative (PHKI), Mrs Edirin Metsegharun, called for closer collaboration between schools and families through Parent-Teacher Association platforms, with health professionals providing regular health education.
Meanwhile, the NHF called for increased government investment in cardiovascular disease prevention, treatment and access to essential medicines.
Akinroye identified the high cost of treatment and dependence on imported medicines as major challenges, urging greater investment in local production of cardiovascular drugs and improved access to cardiac care.
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.
