Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death globally, with hypertension being one of the major contributing factors. Heart disease is responsible for 34% of all deaths in Bangladesh, a large number of which is preventable. Availability of anti-hypertensive medicine at the grassroots level can reduce the risk of heart disease to a great extent. On the occasion of World Heart Day 2024, public health experts and heart specialists highlighted these issues at a webinar titled “Hypertension and Cardiovascular Disease Risk”, organized by research and advocacy organization PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) with support from Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) on Sunday, September 29. This year’s theme for the day is “Use Heart for Action.”
It was informed at the webinar that one in every four adults in Bangladesh is suffering from hypertension. According to the first Global Report on Hypertension 2023 by the World Health Organization (WHO), 273,000 people die of cardiovascular diseases every year in Bangladesh and 54 percent of these fatalities are attributable to hypertension. The report also revealed that half of the individuals (aged 30–79 years) with hypertension are not even aware of their condition.
Professor Dr. Abdullah Al Shafi Majumder, Member Secretary of the Expert Panel on Health Sector Reforms and Former Director of National Institute of Cardiovascular Disease (NICVD), said, “Increased awareness programs, along with other activities, are required to control hypertension.”
Professor Dr. Sohel Reza Choudhury, Head of Department of Epidemiology & Research, National Heart Foundation informed at the webinar, “Heart disease causes more than 40 percent of premature deaths in Bangladesh. Controlling hypertension is the most effective way to reduce this mortality rate.”
Dr. Malay Kanti Mridha, Professor of BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health of BRAC University, said, “Empirical studies by region, age, and gender are highly required to accurately determine the prevalence of hypertension nationwide.”
Muhammad Ruhul Quddus, Bangladesh Country Lead of GHAI said, “Assessment of the number of hypertensive patients across the country is important to ensure the supply of anti-hypertensive medicine at the grassroots level.”
Shamsun Naher Nahid, Head of Nutrition at the Department of Diet and Nutrition of BIRDEM General Hospital, said, “A healthy dietary habit is essential to control hypertension and heart disease.”
ABM Zubair, Executive Director of PROGGA also attended the webinar as discussant. PROGGA’s Coordinator Sadia Galiba Prova delivered a key-note presentation on the prevalence of hypertensive heart disease and moderated the webinar. People of different professions from different regions of the country participated in the webinar.