About 1,000 residents and staff members of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila Orangun, Osun State, have been screened for hypertension, hepatitis and obesity as part of activities lined up for the institution maiden convocation.

The medical outreach, coordinated by the Dean of the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Dr Abayomi Ojo, was held on the university campus on Wednesday.

Ojo, who is also Chairman of the university Medical Outreach Committee, said the exercise revealed that many people were living with high blood pressure without knowing their status.

He said students, staff and members of surrounding communities were beneficiaries of the outreach, adding that the team screened for weight, height, Body Mass Index, blood pressure, blood sugar, diabetes, hepatitis B and hepatitis C.

According to him, the checks showed that some participants had high blood sugar and tested positive for hepatitis B and C, while others fell within the obesity spectrum.

He said those identified with health risks were counselled and referred appropriately for further care, noting that obesity and high blood pressure can reduce lifespan if not properly managed.

Ojo decried the nonchalant attitude of many Nigerians towards regular medical checks and urged the public to embrace periodic screening to prevent avoidable deaths.