A public health expert, Dr Abdulganiyu Salaudeen yesterday revealed that there is alarming increase in non – communicable diseases in the rural areas in Nigeria.

Salaudeen who is the chairman of the Association of Public Health Physician of Nigeria (APHPN)kwara state branch disclosed this at ilala in Irepodun Local Government Area of kwara state during an outreach programme organised by the association as part of their humanitarian services.

He noted that the non communicable such as hypertension, diabetes and chronic kidney diseases were now common in the rural communities.

The chairman who spoke through Dr Abdullah Abdulhamid, senior registrar at Epidemiology and community health Department, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) lamented that the trend had changed as there was alarming rate of non communicable diseases in the rural areas.

He said there are series of barriers and challenges to affordable health services to rural areas, adding that a community such as Ilala has no secondary health facilities to boast of.

The chairman also pointed out that rural dwellers in such communities only detect the extent of the advance state of non–communicable diseases whenever the association embarks on its social responsibility.

Also in his appreciation message, the Aala of Ilala, Alhaji Abdulwahab Osuolale said the community has about 500 inhabitants who were in dire need of secondary health care services.

He commended the association for its foresight bringing free healthcare services to his people.