ASSESSMENT OF HYPERTENSION AND COMORBIDITIES AMONG ANTENATAL CARE ATTENDEES IN PRIVATE AND PUBLIC HOSPITALS IN IMO STATE, NIGERIA.

overriding importance of an effective health care service system is understood as it represents one of the drivers of rapid economic and socio-political development in the rural economy.Soundhealthofthecitizenry ensuresgreaterhumandevelopment.The wealthofany nation can be measured by the status of its citizen in true confirmation of the popular adage whichpositsthat "health iswealth"[19]. Ekwuruke statedthatthegeneralhealthofamemberof any society can be seen as part of an interrelated set of conditions which has to do with his capacity to adjust to his immediate environment and to utilize it to his optimum advantage[20]. According to World Health Organization [21], "health is a state of complete physical, mental and socialwell-beingofanindividualandnotmerelytheabsenceofdiseaseorinfirmity. Stressed globally, health services are known to be provided at different levels by different agencies and specialist. In Nigeria, health services are taken care of by the different tiers of government namely: The Federal, State and Local governments. These are also supported by organization and the private medical services. Traditional medical practitioners who serve the majority of the rural populace also belong to this privatized category. Three health structures exist in Nigeria arranged in a hierarchical order - tertiary, secondary and primary health institutions.Primary Healthcare bypolicyarrangementiswithintheambit oflocalgovernment. It is an essential health care based on practical, scientifically sound and socially accepted to individuals and families in the community. It requires their full participation and at a cost the community can afford to maintain at every stage of development in the spirit of self- determination [22] Primary healthcare service is the first point ofcontact forthe sick andinjured persons. It caters for minor health problems like malaria,fever, cold and nutritionaldisorder. It is concerned with healtheducationandotherhealthissues suchas family planning and immunization [23]. Primary Health care was a new approach to health care that came into existence following the