Nigeria, Currently Dealing with Multiple Layers of Disease- Ministry of Health

By: Michael Mike

The Ministry of Health has raised the alarm over the changing health challenges in the country, warning that the country is currently dealing with multiple layers of disease at the same time.

Speaking at the official inauguration of the Nuparadigm Health Foundation, which marks a new era of health awareness and n the country, a representative of Ministry of Health, Abraham Emmanuel emphasized the urgent need for prevention, education, and lifestyle interventions to protect public health.

Nuparadigm Health Foundation is a non-governmental organisation committed to raising awareness about non-communicable diseases and the risk factors associated with them. The foundation aims to provide credible health information, educate communities, and encourage healthier lifestyles to prevent the onset of avoidable illnesses.

Emmanuel explained that Nigeria’s health challenges are changing, with the country now dealing with multiple layers of disease at the same time.

He said; “Africa, and Nigeria in particular, is no longer facing only communicable diseases. We are now experiencing a double burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases, and some even describe it as a triple burden when pandemics are included.”

He decried that younger Nigerians are increasingly affected, stating that: “Non-communicable diseases are increasing in Nigeria, and the age limit is dropping. Conditions like hypertension, stroke and type 2 diabetes are now affecting people in their 30s.”

Emmanuel noted that lifestyle is the main risk factor. He said: “These are mainly lifestyle-related diseases, which means they can be managed and prevented through increased awareness and better choices.”

He also highlighted alarming national survey findings, warning that many Nigerians are unaware of the silent health threats around them. “The data from our national survey is alarming. Many Nigerians are developing non-communicable diseases without knowing the risk factors, such as unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, harmful use of alcohol, tobacco use and even second-hand smoke,” he said.

Emmanuel, while lamenting that these risk factors which are often overlooked in daily life, are driving a surge in preventable illnesses, creating a hidden crisis that could overwhelm families and the healthcare system if urgent action is not taken.

On her part, the founder of Nuparadigm Health Foundation, Dr. Omolara Olagunju said her experience as a doctor led her to conclude that hospitals mainly treat disease, while true healthcare lies in daily prevention.

She said: “After about 15 years of medical practice, I realised that we don’t really have healthcare in the true sense. Hospitals are not health care systems; they are more like disease parlours. Real healthcare happens outside the hospital, and you should not have to be sick before you start thinking about how to be healthy.”

She explained that many Nigerians harm their health unknowingly because they lack access to simple, trustworthy information.

Olagunju said: “A lot of people are doing things every day that are damaging to their health, and they don’t even know it. When I tell them, they say, ‘Doctor, I didn’t even know.’ That is why we believe that everyone has a right to essential health information — the kind of information you need to maintain the good health that you already have.”

She also acknowledged the harsh realities of daily life, saying many people sacrifice health in the struggle to survive.

“People tell me they are too busy to come for health checks, and I later realised that their reasons are legitimate. People are trying to make ends meet in Nigeria. But sometimes we are working harder, winning the battle financially, and losing the war because our health is steadily deteriorating in the process.” She noted .

She emphasized that the foundation is designed to take health awareness directly into everyday spaces instead of waiting for hospital visits.

“Instead of waiting for people to come to the hospital, we decided to go to them to their offices, their schools and their social media platforms and share this information as widely as possible, because it may be just one piece of information that makes all the difference.” She said.

She also warned that unhealthy lifestyles learned early are already showing consequences in children.

“We were not born liking sugary drinks; these tastes were learned. Today, I see obese children everywhere, and I ask myself what will happen to these children in 10, 15 or 20 years if we don’t do something drastic now.” She warned .

In his keynote address, Consultant Physician and Interventional Cardiologist, Dr. Iseko Iseko said Nigeria invests more in treating illness than in preventing it.

“Over the last two decades in healthcare, most of what we do is secondary prevention treating diseases after they have happened and trying to prevent complications. But primary prevention, which is stopping diseases from happening through education and healthy practices, is where we should be investing more of our energy.” He said

Iseko warned that Nigeria’s fragile healthcare system is under strain from both infectious and lifestyle-related diseases

In his words he said “In Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa, we are still dealing with communicable diseases like malaria, tuberculosis and HIV, but at the same time we are now seeing increasing cases of heart attacks, strokes and diabetes. This double burden of disease is putting enormous pressure on our healthcare system.”

He described Nigeria’s low life expectancy as a reflection of widespread preventable illness and weak preventive care.

He said: “A lot of Nigerians are dying prematurely, and Nigeria is now among the countries with the lowest life expectancy in the world. This is not because we lack potential, but because we have failed to prioritize preventive health and protect our population from avoidable diseases”.

Iseko stressed that everyday habits are driving diseases that drain families financially and emotionally, noting that:

“Many of the diseases we see today are lifestyle-driven and preventable. Treating heart failure alone can cost over ₦1.85 million every month, and when you look at conditions like stroke and kidney failure, the cost to families is catastrophic. This is why prevention, early detection and lifestyle change are far better than waiting to treat advanced disease.”

He further warned about lifestyle-related risk factors, stating that: “Sitting too much, smoking, unhealthy diets and alcohol are silently destroying our blood vessels. These are preventable causes of heart disease and stroke.”

Iseko emphasized the financial and health benefits of prevention, stressing that: “The average cost of treating heart failure is not less than ₦1.85 million per month. Treatment is expensive, catastrophic, and it is far better to prevent these diseases than to manage them.”

The event brought together healthcare professionals, government officials, and key stakeholders, emphasizing the urgent need for prevention, education, and lifestyle interventions to protect public health.

Nigeria, Currently Dealing with Multiple Layers of Disease- Ministry of Health