In order to diagnose, sensitize and advise the population on healthy hearts, a free heart screening was done over the weekend by the Mercy Azoh-Mbi Heart Foundation in the Yaounde, Biyemassi neighborhood at the Dylet American Vocational Training Institute.
It stands as part of their regular visit to communities where they can easily meet people and guide them on how to maintain a robust heart. The foundation made its way to the Biyemassi area where they trained people on cardiovascular diseases, on their complications, carried out a good
number of tests and later on had a discussion on certain lifestyle choices and how to get a sound heart.
The tests that were carried out were purely linked to cardiovascular evaluation as explained by the Country Director of the Mercy Azob-Mbi Foundation, Dr Sese Ekolle Mbonde.
“We are screening for hypertension through measuring of the blood pressure, we are screening for diabetes through measuring of the blood sugar, we are going to check for the body mass index to say if you are obese or not and finally urine test to see if there are possible renal complications. All these tests have to do with the heart, with cardiovascular pathologies which is our main
focus”. He adds that with the amount of patients consulted, many are ignorant of their health situation.
“So far my observation is that many people don’t know they have problems. Today, most of the patients we’ve seen do not know they have hypertension. We have a follow up we are going to do. There are certain patients we are going to have to refer to see cardiologists depending on where they are.”
As take-home message given to the people who came in their numbers, Dr Sese Ekolle reiterated that “those whose blood pressure are elevated, we advised them to monitor their blood pressure for a certain period of time in order for us to know whether they have hypertension or not. For those
who don’t have, they are advised to exercise, eat well, manage their stress and told how to sleep better for a healthy heart.”
The NGO intends to move to other communities and continue the follow-up of the patients, advise them and see if they need more assistance in terms of medication and referrals.
