Yenagoa—The Chief Executive Officer of Closer TV, Mr. Ogbomade Johnson Itutumeni has pledged to sustain a two-day medical outreach programme that was organized to mark his 35th birthday anniversary.
Johnson who spoke at the sensitization programme held over the weekend said the rising cases of hypertension-related death informed his decision on organizing the sensitization.
Dr. Ikuli Ibebieru who also spoke during the programme held in partnership with the Meniscus Clinic and Maternity described the serious medical condition as a silent killer.
Ibebieru said that in recent times, young people from age 30 and above now come down with BP, as it no longer affects only the old.
He cautioned that lack of exercise, excessive smoking, and intake of alcohol and salt, among others, are risk factors for the medical condition.
Bayelsans and indeed the general public were urged to take up responsibility and live rightly to keep Hypertension better known as High Blood Pressure (BP) and its exigencies at bay. 
A participant of the medical outreach who spoke to newsmen after the programme said she gained great knowledge and enlightenment about the sickness.
According to her, she has been a BP patient for more than a decade, adding that she was also given hypertensive drugs which she could not afford for a long period.
“I was on my way home from the market when I saw the medical outreach banner somewhere along the road. So I attended and I must say I was enlightened and impressed. 
“I have been managing high BP for twelve years now and sometimes I could not even afford the drugs so this is very helpful because I was even given some drugs that I couldn’t afford for a long time and was told to come monthly to get new ones.
“Again, I gained great knowledge and enlightenment about the illness and I promise to share this knowledge I’ve gotten about BP with others.
“I thank the organizers of this program. God will bless them and give them long life,” she said.
Some of the participants of the programme are Mrs. Lilian Egbe, Mr. Gamage Christian, and Hon. Timipere Asari Kerry. They thanked the organizers for a job well done, noting that the programme was an eye-opener.
