Iya Aladura Elizabeth Onanuga Launches NCD Prevention Campaign, Targets Nigeria, UK Communities
The Spiritual Head and Founder of Cherubim and Seraphim Palace of Joy Global Church, Her Eminence Iya Aladura Elizabeth A. Onanuga, has launched a community-based health campaign aimed at preventing non-communicable diseases and promoting early diagnosis among Nigerians and African communities in the United Kingdom.
The initiative, unveiled through the C&S Health Circle Talks Seminar held in Lagos on October 31, 2026, seeks to mobilise churches, healthcare professionals and community organisations towards addressing the growing burden of diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke and chronic respiratory conditions.
In a press statement issued on Saturday, Onanuga said the campaign was driven by the need to protect lives, promote health awareness and encourage people to seek timely medical attention before preventable illnesses developed into life-threatening conditions.
She expressed concern that many people remained unaware of their health risks until serious complications emerged, stressing the importance of community participation in disease prevention, screening and access to appropriate healthcare.
According to the World Health Organisation estimates cited by the initiative, non-communicable diseases accounted for at least 43 million deaths globally in 2021, while approximately 18 million people died before the age of 70.
The statement also noted that non-communicable diseases accounted for approximately 28 per cent of all deaths in Nigeria in 2021.
Onanuga said the campaign would work through participating Cherubim and Seraphim churches in Nigeria and the United Kingdom, while providing opportunities for wider participation among Nigerians and other African communities in the diaspora.
She explained that the programme would focus on health education, blood pressure checks, diabetes risk assessment, cancer awareness, vaccination, early detection and referrals to qualified healthcare professionals.
The initiative also seeks to encourage healthier lifestyles, including improved dietary choices, regular physical activity, smoking prevention and adherence to prescribed medical treatment.
As part of its proposed targets for the first 24 months, the campaign plans to establish 20 participating church health hubs across Nigeria and the UK, reach 10,000 people through health education and community engagement, and offer blood pressure checks to 5,000 adults.
It also intends to train 100 church health champions to provide approved health information, encourage participation in screening exercises and support referrals to healthcare facilities.
The campaign further proposes that every participant with an abnormal screening result should receive documented referral advice, while at least 70 per cent of consenting participants referred for non-urgent assessment should have a documented first clinical follow-up within three months.
Onanuga emphasised that the initiative would not encourage people to substitute spiritual practices for medical treatment, noting that prayer, medical assessment and prescribed treatment could work together in promoting overall wellbeing.
She said all clinical activities would be conducted by appropriately qualified professionals, with participation remaining voluntary and personal health information treated confidentially.
The cleric also called on religious leaders, government agencies, hospitals, professional associations, universities, charities, businesses, philanthropists and diaspora organisations to support the campaign.
She said the church was committed to providing suitable spaces for health outreaches, building clinical partnerships, mobilising volunteers and encouraging congregations to make health promotion an integral part of community service.
The initiative, according to the statement, aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly the target of reducing premature deaths from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment.
Onanuga urged individuals and families to take responsibility for their health by understanding their risk factors, attending appropriate medical checks and supporting relatives living with chronic illnesses.
She added that the broader vision was to make churches centres of health awareness, early detection and connection to appropriate medical care across Nigeria, the United Kingdom and the diaspora.
