A Consultant Neurologist at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Dr Nkechi Obianozie, has called for stricter environmental pollution control, warning that air and water pollution increase the risk of neurological diseases that affect brain health.
Speaking to journalists to mark the 2026 World Brain Day, themed “Brain Health for All,” Obianozie said pollution had been identified as a major environmental risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases, with studies linking exposure to industrial pollution and heavy traffic to a higher risk of dementia and other neurological disorders.
She urged the government to strengthen environmental regulations, enforce pollution standards and maintain safe distances between industrial facilities and residential communities. She also called for regular monitoring of air and water quality to safeguard public health.
Obianozie described stroke as one of the leading brain disorders, noting that uncontrolled hypertension remained its biggest preventable risk factor. She said studies showed that between eight and nine out of every 10 stroke cases in Nigeria and West Africa could be prevented.
She advised people living with hypertension to take prescribed medications consistently and encouraged regular medical check-ups, improved access to brain healthcare and healthy lifestyles, including eating more vegetables, reducing processed foods and refined sugars, exercising regularly and engaging in mentally stimulating activities.
