A recent study has revealed a concerning health gap in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, where nearly one in three people living with HIV (PLWH) are unaware they also suffer from high blood pressure. Published in the European Heart Journal on May 6, 2025, the study underscores the growing need to integrate non- communicable disease (NCD) screenings into HIV care.
The study was conducted during the 2023 World AIDS Day by the Managing Hypertension among People Living with HIV: An Integrated Model (MAP- IT) team, which included researchers Daniel Henry, Anyiekere Ekanem, and Professor Dike Ojji. Their findings showed that 31% of HIV- positive individuals screened were newly diagnosed with elevated blood pressure.
The MAP- IT team partnered with the Akwa Ibom State Agency for the Control of AIDS and 22 community- based organizations (CBOs). These CBOs were trained and equipped to conduct blood pressure screenings during HIV- related outreach efforts. Community nurses used semi- automated monitors, educated patients on lifestyle changes, and referred individuals with elevated readings to local primary healthcare centres.
Professor Ojji, who also leads the Cardiovascular Research Unit at the University of Abuja, emphasized the urgent need for a broader healthcare strategy. " Our findings point to a significant gap in cardiovascular disease awareness and care among people living with HIV, " he said. " As antiretroviral therapy prolongs lives, it also reveals the burden of comorbidities like hypertension. "
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