Staff Reporter :
Prevalence of heart diseases in Bangladesh is rising alarmingly, mostly owing to hypertension. One in every five (21 per cent) adults at present is suffering from hypertension. Without immediate measures, the situation is bound to deteriorate drastically.
Speakers have expressed such dire concerns at a webinar titled ‘World Health Day and Hypertension’ marking World Health Day organized by research and advocacy organization PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) with the support from Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) on Saturday.
The webinar informed that hypertension causes increased risks of cardiovascular diseases and related mortality in manifolds. In addition, hypertension can cause stroke as well as kidney damage.
The government has set a national target of a 25 per cent relative reduction in prevalence of raised blood pressure by 2025 as a measure for prevention of non-communicable diseases. Such target calls for mass awareness on the issue coupled with ensuring hypertension treatment and drugs supply at all health care centers.
GHAI Bangladesh Country Lead Muhammad Ruhul Quddus, President of Bangladesh Health Reporters’ Forum and Senior Reporter at the Daily Amader Somoy Rashed Rabbi, and Executive Director of PROGGA ABM Zubair were also present at the webinar as discussants.
Key notes were presented by Dr. Shamim Jubayer of the National Heart Foundation. The webinar was modareted by Mahmud Al Islam Shihab of PROGGA. People of varying professions took part in the webinar.
