Sustainable financing to control high blood pressure: Experts
Staff Reporter :
The prevalence of high blood pressure and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is increasing at an alarming rate in Bangladesh. According to a World Health Organization report, 283,000 people died from heart disease in Bangladesh in 2024, with high blood pressure responsible for 52 percent of these deaths.
Effective control of hypertension and other hypertension-related NCDs is possible if sustainable financing ensures the regular availability of hypertension medicines at all community clinics and upazila health complexes.
These findings and recommendations were highlighted at a journalists’ workshop titled “Hypertension Control: Progress, Barriers and the Way Forward”, held on Wednesday at the BMA Building in the capital. The workshop was organized by PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) with support from the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI). A total of 26 journalists from print, television, and online media outlets participated in the event.
The workshop noted that, according to World Bank data, only 4.2 percent of Bangladesh’s health budget is allocated to non-communicable disease control. Due to inadequate funding, the regular supply of hypertension medicines at NCD corners in community clinics and upazila health complexes is being disrupted. As a result, despite existing demand, ensuring free access to hypertension medicines at the grassroots level remains a challenge.
Dr. Geeta Rani Debi, Medical Officer at the Directorate General of Health Services, said, “The government is making efforts to ensure an uninterrupted supply of hypertension medicines. We hope that all community clinics and upazila health complexes will soon come under this service coverage.”
Riyaz Ahmed, Editor of Dhaka Tribune, said, “The media can play a vital role in preventing and controlling high blood pressure by encouraging the public through evidence-based and in-depth reporting.”
Speakers at the workshop included Muhammad Ruhul Quddus, Bangladesh Country Lead of GHAI, and ABM Zubair, Executive Director of PROGGA. The thematic presentation at the workshop was delivered by Samiha Binte Kamal, Program Officer at PROGGA.