By: Joyce Kantam Kolamong
Mary Alhassan (not her real name), is a 42 year old woman living at Savelugu in the Northern region. She is a basic three teacher, and she operates a small supermarket at the bustling streets of Savelugu. As a teacher and a business woman, Mary’s role encompasses various responsibilities to ensure the success of her teaching field and her business. Despite encountering challenges for being a teacher and an entrepreneur, such as limited access to finance, competition from traditional and informal vendors, managing logistics and adapting to local consumer preferences, she has maintained the right skills to overcome these challenges. With her thriving business, Mary thought she was healthy. She exercised regularly, ate well, and got enough sleep. But one day, Mary voluntarily attended a medical outreach exercise at Pong-Tamale in the Savelugu municipality, organized by Cuban Trained Ghanaian Graduate Association in Northern region, in 2023, and was stunned when the doctor who examined her delivered shocking news that Mary’s blood pressure was alarmingly high.
“I was surprised,” Mary recalls. “I had no symptoms, no family history. I thought I was doing everything right.” She said the doctor explained that hypertension can be a silent killer, often asymptomatic until severe damage occurs. Mary then knew she had to act.
The Journey Began
Mary started by tracking her blood pressure regularly, by visiting the nearest clinic to check her blood pressure. As time went by, upon an advice from a doctor, she bought a BP monitor to check her pulse at home. She discovered that stress and poor sleep quality were contributing to her high readings.
“I realized I was living on self-regulating mode constantly connected to work, never taking breaks. I needed to change.” She stressed.
Mary said she began to practice yoga and meditation to manage stress. She prioritized sleep, aiming for 7-8 hours each night. She also changed her diet, incorporating more potassium-rich foods to help lower blood pressure. She also walked 15 to 20 minutes every evening after supper.
Small Wins, Big Impact
Within weeks, Mary noticed improvements. Her blood pressure readings decreased, she felt more energized and focused and her overall well-being improved. She felt good about herself. Mary’s success inspired her to share her story with others on her WhatApp status. She named it “Pressure Point,” to document her journey and offer tips for managing hypertension.
The Ripple Effect
Mary’s WhatsApp platform attracted attention from healthcare professionals, wellness experts, and individuals struggling with hypertension. Her message resonated “Small changes today can lead to a healthier tomorrow.”
Soon, her platform garnered a lot of subscribers so much that she partnered with health professionals and friends to organize meetings and whatsApp video calls to talk on hypertension prevention and management.
The Turning Point
It has been more than one after her diagnosis, and Mary’s blood pressure had dropped significantly. Her doctor declared her hypertensive-free.
“I cried tears of joy,” Mary said. “I realized that taking control of my health was the best decision I ever made.”
The Legacy
Mary’s story inspired countless others to prioritize their heart health. Her WhatsApp platform became a leading resource for hypertension awareness. She said nothing inspires more than knowing that her story has inspired a lot of people to either adopt lifestyle modification to prevent them from getting hypertension or to manage it for those living with the condition. Till date, Mary continues to advocate for healthy lifestyles, spreading her message.
“Know your number,s know your risk. Take control of your pressure, take control of your life.” She would emphasize on her WhatsApp status.
Similarly, a 50-year-old Sales Executive at one of the reputable banks in Tamale, the Northern regional capital, John Adama, was diagnosed with hypertension when he was 45 years. He said at first, he was diligent, checking his blood pressure twice a day. He made lifestyle changes, exercising regularly and reducing sodium intake. His readings improved, and he felt more energetic. But as time passed, John became complacent, neglecting to monitor his blood pressure. He assumed his medication was enough. He went back to his previous lifestyle where he drank alcohol more often, ate heavy foods at night, stayed out late without adequate rest and stopped physical exercise entirely. This went on for years until two years ago, John experienced severe headaches and blurred vision. One day, while on his usual rounds, he felt dizzy and passed out. Rushed to the hospital, he was told his blood pressure had skyrocketed, putting him at risk for a stroke.
His doctor told him that if only he had continued monitoring, he could have adjusted his treatment and prevented what happened to him.
“I realized too late the critical role of monitoring in hypertension management and vowed to never neglect it again”, he told himself, with the understanding that regular checks were essential to maintaining control and preventing complications.
From thence, John said he made monitoring a habit, working closely with his doctor to manage his hypertension. Currently, John is living a healthier life with some lifestyle modification to his sedentary lifestyle.
“I want to advise people living with hypertension that it is not a death sentence, with regular checkups and monitoring and a little changes in lifestyle they can live a healthy lifestyle”, he admonished.
Hypertension Cases in the Northern region
Hypertension is a major health concern in Ghana, affecting over 27 percent of the adult population. This translates to more than one in four adults living with hypertension. What is alarming is that this high prevalence has persisted for decades, with no significant changes over the years. There are regional disparities in hypertension prevalence. The coastal and middle geo-ecological belts have twice the prevalence of hypertension compared to the northern belt: Coastal Belt, 28 percent, Middle Belt: 29% and Northern Belt: 13%. Hypertension cases have seen a surged in the Northern region over the last three years as the number of people living with the condition is staggering. The Tamale Teaching Hospital recorded about 15,000 cases of hypertension between 2020 and 2023 while the Northern Regional hospital formerly known as Tamale Central hospital recorded over 7000 cases in the same period. The hypertensive clinic of the Tamale Teaching hospital records about 50 to 60 visits per clinic day. A study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health found that people between the ages of 40 to 60 plus records higher hypertension cases than the younger age group. This has got stakeholders worried about the disease burden especially among the adult population in the region.
Risk Factors
Several factors contribute to hypertension in Ghana. They include Genetic factors, sedentary lifestyle such as consuming foods high in salt and fat, inadequate fruit and vegetable intake, and physical inactivity. Others include over-weight, alcohol intake, and smoking among others. Hypertension is a significant health concern in Ghana, and the death rate is alarming. The proportional mortality rate due to hypertension is 5.2 percent, making it one of the top ten causes of mortality in the country. The Ministry of Health reports that hypertension is a leading cause of deaths among individuals over 45 years old. The disease is also responsible for a significant number of outpatient visits, with over 500,000 reported cases in 2007. Globally, hypertension is responsible for over 7.5 million deaths annually, accounting for 12.8 percent.
Prevention Strategies
Preventing hypertension requires a combination of lifestyle modifications, dietary changes and regular health checkups. Embracing a healthy diet means promote consumption of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy. Physical Activity will encourage regular exercise, such as walking, cycling, or swimming, and stress management that is embarking on stress-reducing techniques like meditation, yoga, or deep breathing. People must also embark on regular Check-Ups to check their pulse. Out of about ten people GBCNews randomly interviewed on the streets of Tamale on how often they check their pulse, only three people said they embark on regular checkups to know their BP status.
A Nurse at the Specialist Clinic of the Tamale Teaching hospital, Rahim Mustapha, in an interview said regular checkups is the key to preventing and detecting hypertension. He said people can live with the condition without knowing they have it until it strike them. “If you have constant headaches, dizziness and weakness, go to the nearest clinic to check your blood pressure and if your family has history of hypertension, walk to the clinic for checkup”.
Management Hypertension
Managing hypertension requires a comprehensive approach that incorporates lifestyle changes, medication and regular monitoring. In an interview with a 62 year old Madam Mercy (not her real name), a retired nurse, at the Specialist Clinic of the Tamale Teaching hospital, she said she was diagnosed of hypertension ten years ago and has never been attacked. “This is largely due to the fact that I follow all the instructions the doctors give me, I exercise a lot, I eat balanced diet and I have controlled my anger levels”. She shared one of her tips in managing her condition. “I eat a lot of Moringa, the leaves, tea and the powder, I use it in all my diet and it has helped me to bring my numbers to an appreciable level”.
Awareness and Control
Worryingly, only 35 percent of individuals with hypertension are aware of their condition, 22 percent receive treatment, and a mere 6 percent have their blood pressure under control. This highlights the need for increased awareness and effective management strategies.
A Cardiologist at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, Dr Abdul Subul Yakubu, who is also the Head of Cardiology unit, said more than a quarter of the adult population are living with the condition with a large number who do not know their status. He emphasized that very few people who know their status are on treatment. This, according to him, is reflective in the hospital records as most of the cardiovascular complications such as stroke, heart failures and kidney diseases have hypertension as the risk factor. Dr Yakubu advised persons living with hypertension to always ensure they take their medications appropriately. He said, “The single risk factor for most of the cardiovascular complications is linked to hypertension adding that diagnosis of hypertension is relatively cheap while treatment is available and accessible”.
Northern Region Specific Initiatives
To address the surge in hypertension cases in the region, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has implemented the “Healthy Lifestyle Programme” in the Northern Region. The Regional Health Directorate has also established hypertension clinics in district hospitals with community health workers providing health education and screenings.
Conclusion/Recommendation
To combat hypertension in Ghana and the Northern region, stakeholders need to focus on preventive measures, such as promoting healthy lifestyles, improving healthcare access, enhance community based health programmes and awareness campaigns. Directing attention to the youth is crucial to prevent hypertension in later years. When the young individuals adopt healthy habits early, they can reduce their risk of developing hypertension and related complications. By addressing these issues, Ghana can reduce the burden of hypertension and improve the overall health of its population.
More Stories Here
