Saima Wazed, the regional director of the World Health Organization (WHO) for South-East Asia, estimates that 294 million people in the region have hypertension.
Wazed highlighted the necessity of stepping up efforts to prevent and control hypertension in order to fulfill national and international targets on World Hypertension Day, which is commemorated every year on May 17.
The World Hypertension League (WHL) describes hypertension as “the leading risk factor for death and disability globally as well as a driving force in the global epidemic of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).”
The World Hypertension League (WHL) established World Hypertension Day in 2005 with the goal of bringing attention to this “silent killer” and igniting international action against excessive blood pressure. The theme for this year is “Accurately Measure Your Blood Pressure, Manage It, Live Longer.”
High salt intake, alcohol and cigarette use, poor diets, stress, inactivity, and air pollution are major risk factors for the increased incidence of hypertension, according to Wazed.
“Meeting global and national targets, including those outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and SEAHEARTS milestones, will require further strengthening of efforts to prevent and control hypertension,” she stated.
They further outlined five areas for everyone to contribute together to preventing hypertension. These focused on reducing salt intake, eliminating trans-fatty acids, and increasing physical activities.