Stroke, a non-communicable and debilitating disease that affects humans can be prevented with deliberate and concerted awareness campaign by the authorities and other critical interest groups in the health sector. This was the submission of experts and survivor of the ailment at the book launch entitled “Stroke: Facts and Fallacies” held on Saturday July 23, 2022 at the Canaan Hall of St. Cyprian Catholic Church, Oko-Oba, Agege, Lagos. Speakers at the event, including Mr. Ezeifedi Ugonna, author of the book and newly elected President of the Laity Council, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos said stroke can be prevented if certain measures are taken to arrest the disease, emphasising that stroke comes with sudden attack on the sufferer without showing any sign. Ugonna who went down memory lane, said he took interest in studying the disease at the post-graduate level when a close friend of his, and a staff of his business concern, among other acquaintances were hit by stroke without any visible sign, except sometimes for a mild headache.
According to him, some survived it with partial or permanent disabilities while others succumbed to the disease. Cautioning that what people eat determines their life span, the author said a majority of the people don’t know the range of their cholesterol, blood pressure (BP) and sugar level, advising that institutions and families should cultivate the habit of having testing kits in the work place and at home to prevent sudden death resulting from stroke attack. He noted that the alarming rate at which the disease is rising, especially among those who fall within the age bracket of 35 and above, sometimes even below, has necessitated the setting up of the pet project, Masa Foundation, working in partnership with other relevant stakeholders in the health sector to come up with the idea of establishing stroke clubs in secondary schools to demystify the disease and create early awareness. Chairman on the occasion, Mr. Hannibal Uwaifor, a survivor of the silent killer, and President African Bar Association, spoke on how he slumped without experiencing any symptom of ill-health. In his words, “I was taken to the hospital unconscious,” only to be told later that my BP rose extremely high.” He advised Nigerians to check their health status at regular intervals to prevent sudden death that is on the increase.
Very Rev. Fr. Richard Fasuyi, Parish priest, St. Cyprian Catholic Church, Oko-Oba, Agege congratulated Mr. Ezeifedi Ugonna, on what he called a rare feat, describing the author as a gift to the Church in the attempt to demystify the disease, maintaining that the book is written in simple and straightforward language, devoid of medical jargons that everyone would understand. Although he acknowledged that prayer is indispensable when one is knocked down by ailment, Fr. Fasuyi advised prayer houses and ministries to allow trained medical personnel to attend to the patients first, rather than leaving them dead in healing homes and places of worship. He recommended the book for all institutions and the general public. Stroke has been described by medical scientists as a sudden interruption to the supply of blood to the brain that results in loss of consciousness often with accompanying temporary or permanent paralysis of one side of the body and loss of speech, caused by bleeding from an artery, tissue blockage of an artery or a blood clot. The event was attended by Chairmen and representatives of the different Deanery Laity Councils, family members, friends and well-wishers.
