Staff Reporter :
Lack of awareness, irregular lifestyle and high cost of medicines are the major factors responsible for the premature deaths caused by hypertension in the country, health experts said on Tuesday.
They said that around 2.77 lakh people die in the country due to heart attack and hypertension or high blood pressure is the main cause for it and such cases are going up at an alarming rate.
Currently 22 percent people die of different non-communicable diseases including heart attack in the country and the government has fixed a target to reduce the figure to 16.8 percent by 2025, they said.
The remarks came in a workshop on “Hypertension and Heart Health’ organized by PROGGA, a non-government organisation, held in the Bangladesh Institute of Planners in the capital.
Dr Sohel Reza Choudhury, Professor and Head of the Department of Epidemiology and Research, National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute, Dr Mahfuzur Rahman Bhuiyan, Programme Manager of Hypertension Control, National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute, Muhammad Ruhul Quddus, Bangladesh Country Lead-Cardiovascular Health, Global Health Advocacy Incubator, ABM Zubair, Executive Director of PROGGA and Hasan Shahriar, Team Leader of HTN and TFA of PROGGA, spoke on the occasion.
Citing an alarming situation of Hypertension in the country, Dr Mahfuzur Rahman Bhuiyan in his presentation said the most productive population aged between 22-44 are at the risk factor of hypertension.
“Whereas the government is thinking for a developed country with the age group, they are at the risk of hypertension. When a person is attacked by hypertension, 100 percent productivity cannot be expected from them. The dream of a developed country will be hampered if steps are not taken right now,” he added.
The government is giving more emphasis on the contagious diseases but the non-communicable diseases especially hypertension is not getting much attention, he observed.
In 2020, the number of hypertension patients was about three crore and it will be approximately 3.80 crore by 2030, he pointed out. Around 21 percent people above the 18 plus age group are suffering from this disease.
About the prevention and curing, he said, regular screening and checkup, changes of lifestyle, medication can prevent and keep the people lead a healthy life.
Dr Sohel Reza Choudhury said, “Every one out of five persons is suffering from hypertension, a silent killer. We have observed that a big number of young patients come to our hospital and die because of uncontrolled hypertension.”
About the budgetary allocation, he said, “The government has poor allotment for combating the non-communicable diseases. So we have to take preventive measures by bringing changes of lifestyle.”
About the cost of medicine for the treatment of hypertension, he said, “If a patient starts taking medicine, he or she has to continue it through his/her life. But the prices of medicine are very expensive. Many patients cannot effort it throughout their life.”
He thinks that the government should intervene here to reduce the prices of essential drugs, especially medicines for hypertension.
“The government should create pressure on the pharmaceutical companies to reduce the prices of hypertension related medicines. Besides, the government should use its own resources to keep the prices down,” he asserted.
They also said that a person should not intake excessive salt, should avoid tobacco and alcohol and should increase physical activity with a balanced diet.
