By Takudzwa Tondoya
A local health expert has sounded the alarm over a sharp rise in hypertension and related illnesses among young Zimbabweans—conditions once largely confined to older generations.
Speaking to a local radio station, Dr. Misheck Ruwende revealed that new findings show a worrying trend in which younger populations are increasingly affected by high blood pressure and other non-communicable diseases.
“Diseases like hypertension, they used to be diseases of the old, but now even younger people are having them, and we are seeing them a lot,” said Dr. Ruwende.
He said while hypertension is manageable with treatment many people remain unaware of their condition putting them at serious risk.
“We can prevent stroke that is about 80% of the cases once we control BP or high blood pressure. Unfortunately, the majority of our patients are not in control, so they are at high risk,” he said.
According to Dr. Ruwende, a staggering number of people in Africa are unknowingly living with diabetes.
“Unfortunately, 73% of our population in Africa who are diabetic are not aware that they are diabetic. So, they are at much higher risk unknowingly for stroke,” he said.
Ruwende also pointed to substance abuse as a growing driver of health complications in younger people, particularly strokes.
“But in young people, again, what’s contributing is these illicit drugs that our young people are taking. Alcohol use, smoking and also what we call… which is giving us obesity or big bodies,” he said.
He added that in many communities, large stomachs are mistakenly seen as a sign of prosperity.
“In every commotion or family, those with big bellies are considered to be successful. We call it a ‘success curve’,” he said.
But behind the so-called ‘success curve’, Dr. Ruwende warned, lie hidden dangers diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension and an increased stroke risk.
“There is also a bit of risk for stroke. So, we can say essentially these are the conditions but you see, at the end of the day, many of them are leading us to big bodies, to big bellies and then at the end, we are put at risk of stroke,” he said.
