By 
Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital Senior Resident Officer, Dr Christabel Namukonda, has urged Zambians to prioritise regular blood pressure screening, warning that hypertension remained a silent killer responsible for strokes, heart attacks and heart failure.
Speaking in a statement ahead of World Hypertension Day commemorated on May 18, Namukonda said many people were living with high blood pressure without knowing it because the condition often developed without visible symptoms.
She explained that many patients only discovered they were hypertensive after developing serious complications, despite appearing healthy for years.
“A person can live with the condition without knowing they are hypertensive because they have never been screened,” Namukonda said.
She noted that organ damage caused by hypertension can progress silently, making early detection critical in preventing life-threatening complications.
Namukonda revealed that routine medical screenings often showed that between 40 and 50 percent of patients had elevated blood pressure levels without prior knowledge of their condition.
“The fact that somebody does not know they are hypertensive does not mean they do not have the condition,” she said.
She said this year’s World Hypertension Day theme, “Controlling Hypertension Together,” highlights the importance of collective action by families, communities and health institutions in combating the disease.
As part of the commemoration, Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital will hold a march from the hospital to Kulima Tower, followed by a public health outreach programme.
The activities will include free blood pressure checks, random blood sugar testing for diabetes, health education on risk factors and blood donation.
“We urge members of the public to come forward and get screened.
Hypertension is manageable, especially when detected early at community level,” Namukonda said.
She also appealed to the public to donate blood, saying transfusion services remained critical in managing several medical conditions.
World Hypertension Day is observed annually on May 18 to raise awareness on the prevention, detection and control of high blood pressure.
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