● Agency gets strategic partners
There is boost for the health awareness campaign of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Bayelsa State. The agency got a buy-in from a privately-run organisation to take the initiative into underserved communities in the Southsouth state.
The strategic alliance was sealed by NOA Directorate in Bayelsa with a team from “I Care Save A Soul Initiative” during a meetingin Yenagoa, the state capital.
I Care Save A Soul Initiative is a non-governmental organisation with interest in public health education, especially in rural areas.
Both organisations resolved to step up grassroots health campaign focused on reducing excessive salt intake and combating the deadly rise of hypertension in the state.
Leader of the NGO team – Ambassador Princess Elizabeth, has an urgent and direct message – the battle against high blood pressure must start at the community level.
“This is a rescue mission and we are here to carry out the task of global health, beginning with local hearts. The people in these communities deserve to know what is killing them silently,” Elizabeth stated.
She stood in for her Executive Director at the Yenagoa meeting.
Hypertension, often dubbed the “silent killer,” has become one of Nigeria’s most pressing public health challenges. Many Nigerians suffer in silence, unaware of the long-term damage high blood pressure causes to the heart, kidneys, brain, and blood vessels.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than 38 per cent of adults in Nigeria live with elevated blood pressure, often undiagnosed or poorly managed. This makes the country one with the highest burden of hypertension in sub-Saharan Africa.
A survey conducted in 2023 by the Nigerian Heart Foundation estimated that over 30 million Nigerians are currently hypertensive, a number that is expected to rise with increasing urbanisation and dietary changes.
Residents of the oil-rich state, like other parts of the country are not been spared. In fact, its riverine and semi-rural communities face unique challenges – limited access to healthcare facilities, cultural dietary practices and poor awareness of chronic conditions like hypertension.
One major culprit is salt. The WHO recommends no more than five grams – roughly a teaspoon- of salt intake for an individual per day.
However, studies have shown that the average Nigerian consumes between nine to 12 grams daily, more than double the safe limit.
In the fishing communities of Bayelsa State, salt is not only a seasoning, it is a preservative. Dried fish, smoked meats and pickled vegetables are all heavily salted to extend shelf life in areas where refrigeration is a luxury.
This overdependence on salt, combined with low awareness, creates a health time-bomb. Many residents don’t understand the link between their daily diets and the sudden rise in blood pressure, strokes, or heart failure.
Mrs. Grace Olobio, State Director of NOA in Bayelsa, desribed the partnership as timely and urgent.
She said: “One of the dangers of excessive salt intake is the risk of hypertension, which we are seeing more frequently in our communities.
“We are proud to be a partner in this effort and will live up to expectations in sensitising and enlightening residents in the nine targeted communities”
The NOA, as government’s agency responsible for public enlightenment, brings an extensive network of community mobilisation officers, town announcers and grassroots educators to the table in the strategic partnership.
According to Mrs. Ndidiamaka Mumeya-Francis, deputy director, Programmes, the agency will not be limited to workshops or school talks.
“Our strength is in local mobilisation. We will take this message to the markets, churches, fishing ports, and health centres—wherever the people are, that’s where we’ll be,” she explained.
In the coming weeks, the campaign will be rolled out across nine pilot communities identified as high-risk zones due to poor health indicators and diet patterns.
She listed the communities as Igbogene, Agudama, Otuasega, Okolobiri, Yenagoa, Oporoma, Kaiama, Azuzuama and Nembe.
The partnership also includes training sessions for local community health workers and peer educators who will serve as frontline health ambassadors, guiding their neighbours on practical steps to reduce salt intake.
Radio jingles, town hall meetings, religious sensitisation programmes, and door-to-door campaigns will complement the efforts. The aim is to spark conversations around diet, health, and prevention, particularly among women who prepare most of the meals in these households.
In one of the participating communities, Igbogene, a 62-year-old Mama Ebifagha lost her husband to a stroke last year.
“If someone had told us that salt could cause this kind of sickness, we would have been more careful,” she said while recounting her regret during a community sensitisation meeting
The campaign is already igniting hope. Many community members who previously dismissed diet-related illnesses as “city problems” are beginning to understand how daily habits can lead to long-term health consequences.
The anticipated impact of the campaign is significant. The organisers hope to achieve at least a 20 per cent reduction in household salt consumption among the participating communities by the end of the project.
The programme also aims to improve awareness about hypertension, empowering residents with the knowledge to seek early screening, adopt dietary changes, and manage lifestyle risks.
For the “I Care Save A Soul Initiative,” this partnership is part of a broader agenda that envisions healthier communities across Nigeria, starting with education and prevention rather than cure.
“We are not just telling people to use less salt. We are showing them why and how. This includes practical tips—using herbs and spices as alternatives, reading food labels, and understanding portion control,” Elizabeth said.
Mrs. Olobio restated NOA’s commitment to escalating the campaign to other local government areas if the pilot phase yields measurable success. She also called on the state’s Ministry of Health to support the initiative with screening kits and community nurses.
Local government chairpersons and traditional rulers are also expected to play crucial roles in legitimising the campaign, mobilising attendance at outreach programmes, and providing community halls or venues for awareness events.
The challenge ahead is enormous, but the resolve is stronger. As the campaign kicks off, the focus is not only on reducing salt but on saving lives—one household at a time.
For many in Bayelsa, this campaign is the first time they are hearing that something as simple as too much salt could be deadly. That, say campaign organisers, is where the change begins—with knowledge.
Through this partnership, the NOA and “I Care Save A Soul Initiative” are turning information into action. And as they move from community to community, the goal remains clear: a healthier Bayelsa, where people live longer, stronger, and better-informed lives.
