Cardiac conditions kill 2.4 lakh people annually
Staff Reporter :
Public health experts have sounded the alarm on the alarming rate of cardiovascular disease-related deaths in Bangladesh, with more than 240,000 fatalities reported annually.
They identified hypertension, or high blood pressure, as the primary culprit behind these deaths and stressed the urgent need for preventative measures.
During a Meet the Press event titled ‘Improving Cardiovascular Health in Bangladesh,’ held at the InterContinental Dhaka on Saturday, experts from various organizations, including the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh (NHFB), PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress), Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), and Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL), emphasized the critical role of primary healthcare and increased health budget allocation in addressing this issue.
Dr. Tom Frieden, President and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives and former Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, commended Bangladesh’s progress in preventing deaths from infectious diseases but emphasized the need for similar efforts in preventing heart attacks and strokes.
He highlighted the importance of investing in primary care services to provide effective blood pressure treatment, which could potentially save countless lives.
The experts noted that the prevalence of hypertension and related non-communicable diseases in Bangladesh is on the rise due to factors such as an aging population, rapid urbanization, sedentary lifestyles, and processed food consumption.
Dr. Frieden particularly underscored the role of sodium intake in hypertension and urged government policies to reduce sodium consumption as a preventive measure.
Globally, excess sodium intake contributes to nearly 2 million deaths annually, with a significant portion occurring in low- and middle-income countries.
By addressing this risk factor and strengthening healthcare systems, Bangladesh has the opportunity to become a global leader in preventing heart diseases and strokes, significantly improving public health outcomes.
In a collaborative endeavor aimed at tackling hypertension and enhancing cardiovascular health, the Non-Communicable Disease Control Program (NCDC) under the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, along with the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh (NHFB), has partnered with Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL), a global health non-profit organization, to implement a comprehensive program since 2018.
Professor Dr. Sohel Reza Choudhury, Head of the Department of Epidemiology & Research at NHFB, highlighted the substantial progress achieved through the Bangladesh Hypertension Control Initiative.
This initiative, operational in 171 Upazilla Health Complexes, has witnessed a significant increase in the blood pressure control rate, rising from 26% to 52%. Such noteworthy advancements underscore the effectiveness of collaborative efforts in strengthening the detection, treatment, and follow-up of hypertension in primary care settings.
