Michael Olugbode in Abuja In Our Mind Foundation, a health and community development organisation, has called on federal and state health authorities to establish a formal partnership with its Healthy Nigeria Movement to expand community screening and improve access to medical care across the country. The foundation, while stating that it has conducted community screening outreaches in 20 states, seeks institutional recognition and an agreed role as a community screening and referral partner working alongside established healthcare services. It said preliminary findings from its outreach programme showed that 48.74 per cent of reported blood pressure readings fell within its high blood pressure category, while 5.74 per cent were classified as low blood pressure. The foundation’s presentation also reported high blood glucose readings in 18.33 per cent of the screening results and low readings in 9.12 per cent. However, the figures have yet to be validated against the underlying records and should not be interpreted as representative of the wider Nigerian population. The foundation said the findings highlighted the need to take routine health checks closer to communities and establish dependable referral pathways through which people with concerning results can receive appropriate clinical assessment. The call comes amid global concern over cardiovascular diseases, which the World Health Organisation identifies as the leading cause of death worldwide. An estimated 19.8 million people died from cardiovascular diseases in 2022, accounting for approximately 32 per cent of global deaths, according to the WHO. More than three-quarters of these deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries. The organisation’s founder, Iruoma Obiesie Onuko, popularly known as Nurse Angel, while addressing a press conference in Abuja said community-based screening could provide an opportunity to identify potential health concerns before they develop into medical emergencies. She said the foundation was taking blood pressure and blood glucose checks to people’s doorsteps, marketplaces, streets, schools, churches and other places where communities gather. According to her, the outreach combines screening with health education and practical support to help participants understand concerning results and seek further assessment. The foundation noted that high blood pressure may occur without obvious symptoms, meaning people who feel well may still have elevated readings requiring medical attention. It said its teams had encountered participants with concerning blood pressure and blood glucose readings, including people whose results required further assessment. The organisation added that it had supported participants with severely elevated blood pressure to access urgent hospital assessment, assisted with medical costs where resources were available and provided follow-up support. It has also engaged older people, visited hospitals and assisted individuals experiencing difficulties accessing care. The foundation said these interventions were intended to bridge the gap between identifying a potential health problem and helping the affected person reach appropriate healthcare services. Under its proposal, In Our Mind Foundation wants a technical partnership meeting involving federal and state health authorities, primary healthcare organisations and relevant clinical institutions. It proposed that any agreement should clearly define community outreach responsibilities, geographic coverage, clinical oversight, screening standards, team training, equipment requirements and quality-control measures. The proposed framework would also establish referral links with designated healthcare facilities, urgent escalation procedures, follow-up arrangements and a system for transparent reporting and joint evaluation. The foundation said it could contribute community mobilisation, local relationships and organised teams, while healthcare institutions would provide clinical oversight, further assessment and continuing care. It argued that a formal arrangement would help ensure that community screening did not end with the recording of a result but led to appropriate action where necessary. The organisation is also proposing a 12-month programme to strengthen existing outreach activities and expand delivery in line with the readiness of local teams and receiving healthcare facilities. Under the proposed arrangement, participating partners would regularly review the number of people reached, valid checks conducted, referrals made, clinical assessments completed and follow-up actions undertaken. The foundation said it would also account for resources used and protect participants’ personal health information. It maintained that measurable outcomes, clearly defined responsibilities and tr
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