Four in 10 screened at DITF found with undiagnosed hypertension
A health screening campaign at the Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair found that over 40% of participants had undiagnosed hypertension. Health officials attribute this trend to sedentary lifestyles and poor diet, noting that the condition is increasingly affecting younger adults.
Why it matters
The findings highlight a growing public health crisis regarding non-communicable diseases in urbanizing African populations, emphasizing the need for routine screenings.
DAR ES SALAAM: MORE than 40 per cent of people screened at the ongoing 50th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF) were found to have high blood pressure, with many unaware they were living with the potentially life-threatening condition, the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI) said.
The institute has screened and treated more than 1,100 people since the annual trade fair opened, with many attendees visiting its pavilion to check basic health indicators under the institute’s “Know Your Numbers" preventive health campaign.
JKCI surgeon Dr Thabit Ramadhani told the Daily News on the sidelines of the ongoing Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF) that many Tanzanians are living with undiagnosed diseases because they rarely seek regular health screenings, with some failing to check their health even once a year.
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