Medical experts have raised concerns over increasing cases of sudden deaths among young people and the prevalence of prostate cancer among Nigerian men, urging Nigerians to prioritise regular health checks and early treatment.

The experts spoke at the 2026 Arise Women Conference, where a cardiologist, Dr Jane Ajuluchukwu, warned that cardiovascular diseases were claiming the lives of young people, while a professor of Urology, Rufus Ojewola, advised men aged 40 and above to undergo regular prostate cancer screening.

The conference, which marked the 18th anniversary of Arise Women and was themed ‘Impact’, also featured discussions on sickle cell disease, children’s spiritual upbringing, women’s empowerment and humanitarian service.

Ajuluchukwu said cardiovascular diseases, according to the World Health Organisation, accounted for about 17 million deaths globally each year, with sudden deaths responsible for approximately 25 per cent of the figure.

“The trend is increasing. It is because the risk factors are increasing. And what is worrisome is that many people who are dying suddenly are young,” she said.

The cardiologist explained that sudden death referred to an unexpected, non-violent or non-traumatic death within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms, adding that deaths occurring within an hour were more likely to be cardiac-related.

She identified hypertension, diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, physical inactivity and enlarged heart conditions as major risk factors.

Ajuluchukwu also warned people with a family history of sudden death, particularly those whose close relatives died before the age of 50, to pay closer attention to their cardiovascular health.

Citing a study, she said men were more likely than women to die suddenly, particularly after the age of 40, urging Nigerians to begin regular health checks around that age.

She blamed men’s reluctance to seek medical attention partly on cultural expectations that discouraged them from acknowledging illness.

“Go to the mortuary, there are more men there. I will say it is not women that are killing them. It is men that are killing themselves because they are not paying enough attention to their health,” she said.

She added, “You will see a man caring for the wife, caring for all the children, and they neglect themselves. Men, please take time to take care of your health.”

Ajuluchukwu said warning signs of a possible heart attack could include chest discomfort, unusual tiredness, fainting and pain extending to the jaw or arm.

She cautioned against dismissing unusual chest or abdominal discomfort as an ulcer, saying heart attack symptoms did not always present as severe chest pain.

Ajuluchukwu urged Nigerians to monitor their blood pressure and blood glucose levels, take prescribed medications and seek medical attention when they experienced unusual symptoms.

She also advised people to recognise stroke symptoms, including facial drooping, arm weakness and speech difficulties, and seek emergency medical attention.

She identified 112 as Nigeria’s emergency number.

On prostate cancer, Ojewola urged men aged 40 and above to undergo regular screening, warning that the disease could develop without symptoms and become fatal if detected late.

Speaking on ‘Beyond the Prostate: What Every Man Should Know About Sexual and Urinary Health’, he identified age, race and family history as major risk factors, noting that prostate cancer was particularly prevalent among black men.

“Prostate cancer is rare below the age of 40 years, but after 40 years, the incidence of prostate cancer increases exponentially. The higher the age, the higher the risk that one will develop prostate cancer,” he said.

The professor said early detection and treatment could make the disease curable, adding that available treatment options included surgery, radiotherapy and minimally invasive procedures.

“If discovered at the early stage and treated at the early stage, it is curable,” he said.

He advised men to undergo prostate-specific antigen blood tests, scans and physical examinations by medical professionals.

“The key message this morning, if you’re a man here, you’re more than 40, and you have not done PSA before, you have not seen a urologist to examine your prostate, you have not done a scan, please take responsibility for your health,” he said.

Ojewola also dismissed claims that having multiple sexual partners, contracting sexually transmitted infections or ejaculating a specific number of times weekly caused or prevented prostate cancer.

He said erectile dysfunction could be associated with underlying conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol, while urinary difficulties could result from urethral strictures, bladder infections and stones.

He urged men experiencing sexual or urinary problems to seek medical attention rather than dismissing them as inevitable consequences of ageing.

Also speaking, the Director of the Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria, Dr Atilade Akinshete, said bone marrow transplantation offered a potentially curative treatment option for eligible people living with sickle cell disease and was available in Nigeria.

Akinshete said Nigeria recorded about 150,000 births involving children with sickle cell disease annually, with approximately 100,000 dying before their fifth birthday.

She attributed the high mortality rate largely to ignorance, delayed diagnosis and inadequate management, stressing that early detection and appropriate treatment could improve patients’ chances of survival.

“There is a cure for sickle cell, which is done here in Nigeria. Up until now, nobody knows that we have a cure for sickle cell,” she said.

She disclosed that the foundation had a partnership with Vanderbilt University Medical Centre to provide the treatment.

Explaining the procedure, she said it involved obtaining bone marrow from a donor and transplanting it into a patient. She showed photographs of a patient who had undergone the procedure, highlighting the individual’s improvement about 18 months afterwards.

Akinshete urged affected families to contact the foundation for information about treatment options.

She explained that sickle cell disease was an inherited condition that occurred when a child received the relevant genes from both parents. She identified severe pain, anaemia, weakness, jaundice and swollen hands and feet among its symptoms.

The doctor warned that complications such as acute chest syndrome and stroke could be fatal without urgent treatment. She also advocated genetic counselling, screening and early diagnosis to prevent the disease and improve care for affected children.

Beyond the health discussions, the Convener of Arise Women, Pastor Dr Siju Iluyomade, urged women to pursue transformational leadership and initiatives capable of improving communities.

Speaking on the conference theme, ‘Impact’, Iluyomade said meaningful change required intentional action, boldness and a willingness to challenge the status quo.

“The impact we seek to have must be transformational; it must be monumental, and it must be unstoppable.

“Impact is not an accident. It is intentional, it is bold, it can be disruptive. It can be disruptive to the status quo. But the transformation must occur,” she said.

She said the organisation’s 18th anniversary was an opportunity to inspire participants to move beyond charity towards sustainable interventions that empowered individuals and communities.

“Charity gives a man a fish; he eats it for a day. Relief gives him fish for a month. But transformation teaches him to fish, own the pond, sell the fish, and teach his village to fish,” she said.

Iluyomade highlighted Arise Women’s interventions in rural communities, including its adopted village project in Zamfara State, where it had built schools, health facilities and libraries.

She said the initiative had also introduced technology and improved access to healthcare, adding that no woman had died during childbirth at its facilities in the past 18 years.

Recalling a visit to another rural community, she said residents requested a school, prompting her to seek support from a benefactor who subsequently built a 14-classroom facility equipped with water, drainage, a generator and boreholes.

She also listed the organisation’s initiatives to include the Arise Walk for Life, mobile clinic, adopted village project, Back-to-School programme, vaccination centre, Mass Foundation, Master Class and Skills Acquisition Academy, conference and insurance scheme.

Iluyomade urged women to reject societal limitations and turn their ideas into practical interventions.

“Stop the talk. Do something about it. Do something meaningful, and do it for other people,” she said.

Meanwhile, former Flutterwave Chief Executive Officer, Iyin Aboyeji, urged parents to prioritise their children’s spiritual upbringing, saying material provision alone was insufficient to prepare them for life’s challenges.

Aboyeji attributed much of his personal and professional progress to the Christian foundation laid by his parents, who are the current overseers of Prospect Church.

He said growing up within the church’s 40-year heritage had shaped his values and contributed to his achievements.

“The most important thing you can give your children is the Lord. The most important thing you can give your children is Jesus,” he said.

He urged parents to establish spiritual practices in their homes from an early age, recalling that his family maintained morning devotion throughout his childhood.

Aboyeji, who said he had continued the practice with his own daughter, also urged parents to demonstrate their faith through their actions and teach their children to seek God’s direction when confronted with difficult decisions.

“Sometimes we think it’s just about discipline, discipline. No, it’s just that you have to show them how to go to God for every issue,” he said.

He described direction as essential to navigating life’s challenges, adding that parents should teach their children gratitude and the importance of giving God the glory for their achievements.

At the conference, the Christian Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Lagos State Women’s Wing, honoured Iluyomade for her contributions to humanitarian service, women’s empowerment and Christian ministry.

Presenting the award, a representative of the fellowship said the recognition was for her 18 years of service through Arise Women and its interventions in healthcare, education and community development.

“We did not come to honour a woman; we came to honour a vision that has refused to die,” the representative said.

The citation described Iluyomade as a humanitarian whose work had extended beyond public recognition to practical interventions in underserved communities.

“While many women were seeking platforms, she was building hospitals. While many were seeking titles, she was sinking boreholes in forgotten villages. While many were preaching empowerment, she was putting food in pink pockets and delivering babies for free,” the citation read.

Receiving the award, Iluyomade dedicated it to Arise Women, saying, “I receive this award on behalf of Arise, on behalf of Arise Women”.