Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) is one of Nigeria’s most overlooked health emergencies. Frequently mistaken for asthma or other respiratory conditions, PH is a progressive and deadly disease that narrows or blocks the arteries in the lungs, forcing the heart to overwork.

Symptoms such as breathlessness, chest pain, fatigue, fainting, and fluid retention worsen over time, leading to heart failure if untreated.

While global medical innovations have given PH patients a better chance at life, Nigeria remains far behind, where diagnosis is late, drugs are scarce, and treatment costs are unbearable.

When Treatment Is a Luxury

In developed countries, pulmonary hypertension is manageable with early detection, advanced medical treatment, and access to health insurance. In Nigeria, the opposite is true.

“The life-saving drugs we need are not available. The few that exist are extremely costly — and sometimes their prices double overnight due to inflation,” says Ayotunde Omitogun, a PH patient and advocate.

“Patients are forced to choose between staying alive and paying for food or rent. Some stop treatment altogether, and sadly, we lose them,” she laments.

A month’s supply of PH medication can cost hundreds of thousands to millions of naira, a devastating burden in a nation where over 60% of citizens live in multidimensional poverty. With little to no significant insurance coverage, many patients face financial hardship in affording basic necessities.

The Faces Behind the Numbers

Beyond statistics are real lives — young professionals too weak to work, parents selling assets to keep their children alive, and families exhausted emotionally and financially.

Misdiagnosis compounds the problem. Many patients spend years being treated for asthma or heart disease before they receive the correct diagnosis. By then, the disease has often progressed too far.

Pulmonary hypertension is not rare in Nigeria — it’s just rarely recognized. Silence, stigma, and systemic neglect have made it an invisible killer.

The “PH No Be Joke” Campaign: Breaking the Silence

This November, advocates are launching the PH No Be Joke campaign to raise national awareness, advocate for access to medication, and support patients through the PH Drug Aid Fund — an initiative designed to help those who cannot afford life-saving treatment.

The message is clear: Access means life.

The campaign urges the Nigerian government, pharmaceutical industry, and health institutions to:

• Include PH drugs in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS)

• Support subsidies for imported medication

• Fund diagnostic and treatment centers nationwide

• Promote public and professional awareness

A Matter of Life and Dignity

Pulmonary hypertension may be hidden, but it is real — and deadly.
No Nigerian should die because treatment exists but remains out of reach.

It’s time to act. For every patient gasping for breath, every second counts.
Because in the fight against PH, access means survival, and awareness saves lives.