The Nigeria Medical Association has identified malaria, HIV/AIDS, cancer and road accidents as top killers in the country.
It also attributed the rising cases of hypertension and diabetes to lifestyles influenced by globalisation.
The National President, NMA, Dr. Esahon Enabulele, in an interview with our correspondent, denied that more attention was paid to HIV/AIDS over other diseases. He said it was only because the pandemic had a verifiable way of limiting its spread, compared with others.
He cited the case of smallpox had been eradicated, saying the fight against HIV/AIDS equally required a global push.
He said, “Nigeria, like most African countries, is still battling with the scourge of malaria. Malaria still remains the top killer, especially, of our children. Aside from malaria, we have the scourge of HIV/AIDS. As you find in most countries because of globalisation, we are having an increase in non-communicable diseases.
“These non-communicable diseases include diabetes, as a result of lifestyle changes that is now prominent in developing countries like Nigeria. Aside from diabetes, we have hypertension and cancer. Cancer is now on the rise. Among the men, prostate cancer is on the rise. Among the women, it still remains cervical and breast cancers.”