Nigerian Medical Association in the FCT has raised concern about a spate of “sudden death syndrome”-in which seemingly healthy people drop dead in unexplained circumstances-saying it is “alarming and regrettable.”
“Sudden death syndrome”-as it is known-has risen to a major public concern for the medical establishment after Dr Chinwuba Amechina, a former chairman of the association, died of a heart attack during surgery at University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH).
NMA chairman in the FCT, Dr Titus Ibekwe told a press conference marking the association’s annual general meeting in Abuja that, “Initial anecdotal view that this type of death is uncommon among African appear proven wrong by recent events.”
Prof Edmund Nwana, consultant pathologist at UATH who delivered a lecture on sudden death syndrome, said people faced risk of suddenly dropping dead because they were afraid of “cost implication and stresses” involved in regular medical checkups.
“You would be surprised at the number of people who are hypertensive without knowing it. So oftentimes you hear they suddenly drop dead. It is probably when we get to do autopsy that we hear this man has been hypertensive for so long,” he told Daily Trust.
Experts believe many unexplained deaths go undocumented, unexplained uninvestigated or simply written off as an “act of God.”
“If people can only spend a little more time on themselves-because, whether you are the breadwinner or not, take note, if you drop dead, life must go on. So find time to assure yourself within your own limits,” Nwana cautioned.
daily trust
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