Patients, others lament poor government funding for hypertension

Patients, healthcare experts, and civil society advocates are decrying the Nigerian Federal Government's insufficient attention and funding for hypertension and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs). They are urging for greater financial investment, stronger public awareness initiatives, and improved access to screening and treatment.

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Statistics show that millions and millions of Nigerians are hypertensive. The sad part of the story is that not many people know about it. So we want it to be prioritised. We want the government to prioritise funding for non-communicable diseases, particularly hypertension.

During a dialogue on hypertension financing, Prof. Emmanuel Alhassan, Country Lead for Health System Strengthening at the Global Health Advocacy Incubator, highlighted that millions of Nigerians live with hypertension, often unknowingly due to poor awareness and limited access to routine screening. He stressed the need for government prioritization of NCDs, particularly hypertension, and adequate funding.

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You will notice that, for instance, for 2025, not even a single kobo was released. We really want our colleagues in the media and communities themselves to come together and advocate. We are supporting the NCDs Division of the Federal Ministry of Health, but issues around non-communicable diseases, particularly hypertension, should be prioritised and funding made available.

Alhassan lamented that funding for hypertension remains disproportionately low, noting that for 2025, not a single kobo was allocated. He stated that despite an estimated 27 million Nigerians living with hypertension, the disease receives less than four percent of the attention and funding allocated to other health conditions.

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There is a huge burden of the disease, yet less than three to four per cent in terms of attention and funding is paid compared to other disease areas.

He emphasized the critical role of the media in educating the public about hypertension and encouraging regular blood pressure checks. Alhassan urged the media to work with civil society organizations to advocate for increased investment from the government, private sector, and individuals in NCDs and to make ongoing interventions more visible.

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The media has a role to play in getting Nigerians to know that they might just be walking around with hypertension without knowing it. Nigerians need to go for screening. We also need the media to help us advocate to government, the private sector and individuals to invest more in non-communicable diseases, particularly hypertension. The media should also work with civil society organisations to make ongoing interventions more visible and highlight statistics showing that many people are unaware of their condition.