Student educates Groot Aub on hypertension

A STUDENT at the Hifikepunye Pohamba training and assessment institution in Windhoek has urged Namibian citizens to visit health centres to prevent and treat diseases early.

Albertina Amupolo is doing studies relating to community health and education. According to her, a lot of people especially suffer from high blood pressure without knowing it, and therefore do not go for check-ups.

“Most people experience headaches and take over-the-counter medication to ease the pain. Some do not know that they have the illness, while those who know, do not know how to eat and live a healthy lifestyle. It is important to raise awareness because most people are not aware that this illness can kill them,” she said.

Amupolo takes the opportunity to share information about this life-threatening disease wherever she goes, noting that it is important to warn people early.

She was at Groot Aub settlement recently, where people gathered for a community meeting, and took the opportunity to tell them about high blood pressure.

Community members were grateful for the information, saying they had learnt new facts about the illness.

“It was really good learning about the disease. I will do my best to stay healthy and do more physical activities” said Immanuel Aochamub.

Some residents said they have escaped death several times without knowing that they had hypertension. They claim to have eaten a lot of meat and sweets. They were advised to cut down on sweets and fast foods and rather cook healthy meals.

However, some residents complained that the local clinic never has the medication, and mostly refer them to health centres in Windhoek.

A representative from the clinic at Groot Aub, Frieda Fredrick, promised to make preparations for hypertension sufferers at the settlement to access medicine at the clinic.

Meanwhile, Amupolo also informed young people at Groot Aub about the dangers of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases that are prevalent among the youth.