Spurning the heavy downpour, traders at the Ipodo Market, Awolowo Way, Ikeja, Lagos, last Wednesday all trooped out to benefit from the medical check-up organised by the 2008 graduating students of the Lagos State University College Of Medicine

The event tagged 'Project Shield' was to create health awareness at the grassroots. Two major diseases, high blood pressure (hypertension) and high blood sugar (diabetes mellitus) were discussed at the event. People also benefited from medical checkup, counselling and free drugs to those whose medical results showed need for such drugs.

Coordinator of the 2008 Graduating Class Committee, LASUCOM, Aduragbemi Ogunbanke, said the project was brought to the Ipodo Market to bring health information to the doorsteps of the residents since many of them cannot easily access healthcare.

"Our teaching hospital is very close to the Ipodo Market. We decided to bring this information to their doorsteps because we have learnt a lot in this vicinity and so we decided to give back to the society," he said.

According to him, the project is aimed at reducing the impact of hypertension and diabetes in Ipodo and environs. Ogunbanke said though the diseases cannot be eradicated, with the proper empowerment and information, it could be reduced to the barest minimum.

He said the 2008 graduating class is composed of a unique and versatile group of students, arguably the best set to have gone through LASUCOM because they have the inclination to make global change.

"We are a group of 78 students in the class and we are people who approach medicine from the global perspective. We have people who have exceptional unique leadership skills, and over the last seven years we are the largest in numbers and academically too we have people with distinctions," he explained.

In actual fact, the event is a community development programme and it is part of the activities of the graduating students. One of them, Olufunmilade Shoyoola, educated the traders on hypertension and diabetes mellitus in English/pidgin while Ajibola Abioye educated the traders in Yoruba Language. They explained what hypertension is all about, explaining that it is about the level of blood pressure, whether it is high or not, its causes, symptoms and treatment.

Shoyoola explained that hypertension is a disease very common in Africa, saying that any blood pressure, which is higher than 140/90 is high blood pressure, adding that it is a disease very common in old people and many times they are hereditary.

"It is a disease common in old people. Obesity, alcoholism and smoking are some of the many causes of high blood pressure. High blood pressure affects every part of the body," she said, and suggested that blood pressure should be checked every three months.

"It affects every part of the body. When the blood vessel is high, the blood could burst and if it enters the brain, it would lead to death," she explained.

Shoyoola also said only medical test can reveal if an individual's blood pressure is high.

She also counselled the people to reduce the rate at which they eat egg, salt, maggi and alcohol. "They should also avoid sitting at a point, exercise the body, stop smoking, always use your drugs because if there is sickness in your blood, there is a general problem," she said.

Also on diabetes mellitus, they told the traders that it can lead to hypertension, that is, an individual with hypertension can also have diabetes. "As people get old, they should always pay attention to their health and go for medical check-up. The disease could only be detected through medical test," she said.

It was suggested that the people should reduce their intake of rice, garri, amala, oil and some other carbohydrates, which were highlighted as foods, which are digested into sugar, thereby increasing the level of sugar in the blood. The traders were also told that right eating/food can also control diabetes. Since most of these diseases are hereditary, the market women were told to inquire if any of their parents have it or had it before their death.

"It could be hereditary. If you find out that any of your parents have it, you have to be more conscious. You must reduce foods with carbohydrates because they increase sugar. Instead, take fruits and beans because they can bring down the sugar level," she counseled.

A trader in the market said: "I have really learnt a lot today before I think it is the vegetable oil that is better than red oil, but I have now discovered that they are both unhealthy for we adults except the upper parts of the oil or Soya oil. Likewise, I always believe that egg is good for my body because I take it almost everyday, but I've learnt that I need it maybe three times a week. I am so happy for these health revelations. I will adhere to what I have learnt and keep myself healthy," she said.