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 transparent reporting would be essential to building institutional confidence and ensuring that expansion was sustainable.
In Our Mind Foundation said its wider network had a presence in every state, while its community screening programme had completed outreach activities in 20 states.
Through the In Our Mind Healthy Nigeria Movement, it provides free blood pressure and blood glucose checks, health education, referral assistance and follow-up support through monthly outreach activities.
Local teams mobilise participants, provide information, conduct checks and help people understand the next steps when a concerning result is identified.
The foundation said its community relationships offered an opportunity to strengthen collaboration with established healthcare services and improve the connection between community-based interventions and formal medical care.
Onuko, a UK-based senior mental health nurse, public speaker and coach, said the foundation’s work reflected the relationship between health, opportunity and human development.
She explained that the organisation grew from a youth initiative associated with Nigeria’s centenary programme in 2014, which encouraged young people to contribute ideas and solutions. The initiative’s reflections and activities were consolidated into the book In Our Mind, followed by the establishment of the foundation and its talk show.
The organisation has since extended its activities to children, adults and older people, with community health education becoming one of the practical expressions of its broader mission.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has emphasised the importance of early detection and management of cardiovascular risk factors, including raised blood pressure and blood glucose. These factors can be assessed in primary healthcare settings and may indicate an increased risk of heart attack, stroke and other complications.
However, screening alone does not establish a diagnosis. A concerning result must be interpreted in context and followed by appropriate clinical assessment, with treatment decisions made by qualified healthcare professionals.
The foundation acknowledged the importance of clinical oversight and quality assurance, proposing that any government-supported programme should include agreed screening standards, competent personnel, suitable equipment and clear referral arrangements.
It also proposed collaboration with universities, professional organisations, international health bodies and diaspora professionals to support training, evaluation, technical expertise and knowledge exchange.
The organisation has invited the media to publicise the initiative and encourage wider participation in efforts to make routine health checks more accessible.
It said its immediate priority was to establish a formal delivery agreement with relevant government and healthcare partners before expanding the programme further.
The foundation said its objective was to build a more dependable pathway between community screening and appropriate care, allowing people to access understandable health information, timely assessment and follow-up support.
It urged prospective partners to work with the organisation to strengthen the clinical connections behind its existing community reach, arguing that accessible screening would be more effective when people who need further care could also reach it.