21/09/2026
"But I feel fine."
I hear that sentence almost every week
Someone sits down, we start talking, and at some point they say it — "I feel fine, so I don't think I need to check anything."
And every time, I think about how reasonable that sounds, and how wrong it can be.
Because that's exactly how the two biggest health problems in Nigeria behave.
High blood pressure doesn't announce itself. Early type 2 diabetes doesn't either.
You can feel completely normal, sleep normally, work normally, joke normally, while your body is quietly doing something that will cost you years and millions of naira later.Here's what the data says.
Non-communicable diseases; high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, are now responsible for roughly 29% of all deaths in Nigeria.
Around one in three Nigerian adults has high blood pressure. And of Nigerian adults living with diabetes, about 78.7% don't know it.
A study of market traders found that one in four had undiagnosed hypertension, ordinary people, going about their day, feeling absolutely fine.
That's not meant to frighten you. It's meant to tell you something genuinely hopeful: the diagnosis you're most likely to face is one you can find early and act on cheaply, if you bother to look.
The WHO says treating disease early can be 2 to 4 times less expensive than treating it late. In Nigeria, a single chemotherapy session can run ₦600,000 to ₦1.5 million.
One study of breast cancer care found patients paid an average of over $5,000 out of pocket.
Prevention costs a fraction of that. And most of it is boring, free stuff:→ A check-up even when you feel fine
→ Knowing your blood pressure and blood sugar numbers
→ Moving your body most days
→ Real food more often than packaged food
→ Sleeping properly
→ And not waiting for pain before you see a doctorThat's the whole thing, No magic, No expensive treatment, No drama.
So let me ask you the same question I ask people here in Calabar every week:When was the last time you had your blood pressure checked?
If you can't remember, the answer is "too long ago."
Comment below or send me a message if you'd rather ask privately.
I'm happy to point you toward where to start.
WHIEDA Health & Wellness · Calabar
Educational content only, not medical advice. Please see a qualified doctor for diagnosis and treatment.
