Staff Reporter :
Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death worldwide, with hypertension being a major contributor.
In Bangladesh, heart disease accounts for 34% of all deaths, many of which are preventable.
Speakers at a World Heart Day 2024 webinar emphasized that better access to anti-hypertensive medication, particularly at the grassroots level, could significantly reduce heart disease risks.
The webinar, titled “Hypertension and Cardiovascular Disease Risk,” was organized by PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) with support from the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI). This year’s theme for World Heart Day is “Use Heart for Action.”
During the event, it was revealed that one in four adults in Bangladesh suffers from hypertension.
According to the Global Report on Hypertension 2023 by the World Health Organization (WHO), 273,000 people die from cardiovascular diseases annually in Bangladesh, with 54% of these deaths attributed to hypertension.
Alarmingly, the report also found that half of those aged 30-79 years with hypertension are unaware of their condition.
Professor Dr. Abdullah Al Shafi Majumder, Member Secretary of the Expert Panel on Health Sector Reforms and Former Director of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Disease (NICVD), said, “Increased awareness programs, along with other initiatives, are essential to control hypertension.”
Professor Dr. Sohel Reza Choudhury, Head of the Department of Epidemiology and Research at the National Heart Foundation, highlighted that heart disease causes over 40% of premature deaths in Bangladesh.
“Controlling hypertension is the most effective way to reduce this mortality rate,” he stated.
Other key speakers at the event included Dr. Malay Kanti Mridha, Professor at BRAC University; Muhammad Ruhul Quddus, Bangladesh Country Lead of GHAI; and Shamsun Naher Nahid, Head of the Department of Diet and Nutrition at BIRDEM General Hospital.
ABM Zubair, Executive Director of PROGGA, participated as a discussant, while PROGGA’s Coordinator Sadia Galiba Prova delivered a keynote presentation on hypertensive heart disease and moderated the webinar.