Patients, healthcare experts and civil society advocates have decried what they described as the Federal Government’s inadequate attention to hypertension and other non-communicable diseases.

They also called for increased funding, stronger public awareness and improved access to screening and treatment.

The call was made on Thursday during the Executive Media, Patient and Civil Society Dialogue on Hypertension Financing, convened under the Advocacy Partnership for Hypertension Financing and Patient Voice Project.

Speaking at the event, Country Lead for Health System Strengthening at the Global Health Advocacy Incubator, Prof. Emmanuel Alhassan, said hypertension affects millions of Nigerians but remains largely neglected in terms of government funding and public attention.

According to him, many Nigerians are living with hypertension unknowingly because of inadequate awareness and poor access to routine screening.