NEW DELHI: On World Heart Day, the WHO gave a global call to raise awareness about heart health and accelerate actions to prevent, detect and manage cardiovascular diseases.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) South-East Asia Region (SEARO), which is experiencing a very high burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are responsible for 3.9 million annual deaths, making up 30 per cent of all deaths.
“Alarmingly, almost half (48%) of these CVD-related deaths occurred prematurely, affecting individuals aged 30 to 70 years and imposing significant socioeconomic burdens on families, communities, and countries,” Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia, said.
The main causes of the burden of CVD include modifiable lifestyle factors such as tobacco use, alcohol consumption, unhealthy diets especially high salt intake, and lack of physical activity.
As per WHO, one in four adults in the region has raised blood pressure, while one in ten has diabetes, and less than 15% are on effective treatment coverage. Additionally, high levels of lipids in the blood and suboptimal management of acute cardiovascular events further worsen CVD mortality.
In response to this significant public health importance, NCDs have been identified as a Regional Flagship priority since 2014.
In 2022, the region has adopted the 'Implementation Roadmap for accelerating the prevention and control of NCD in South-East Asia 2022–2030.'
The SEAHEARTS (WHO HEARTS package adaptation to South-East Asia Region) initiative of the region, brings together measures to reduce risk factors such as tobacco control, salt reduction, and trans-fatty acids) with improvements in hypertension and diabetes coverage and control in primary health care.
Tobacco use prevalence in the region is declining due to the implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control measures. Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand have taken steps to eliminate trans-fatty acids from their national food supplies, potentially benefiting over 1.7 billion people.
Several countries in the region, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Timor-Leste, have set national targets to enhance hypertension and diabetes management in primary health care by 2025, in line with the SEAHEARTS initiative of placing 100 million people with hypertension and or diabetes on protocol -based management by 2025.
India’s target of reaching 75 million people with hypertension and diabetes under standard care by 2025 is the largest cover of NCDs for primary health care in the world, the WHO said.
Accelerating the control of CVDs is a priority and WHO South-East Asia Region is calling for action in four key areas, which wants countries to place CVD high on their agenda and expand their efforts through commitment and leadership at both policy and programmatic levels.
They also urged countries to continue implementing evidence-based tobacco control laws in line with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and its MPOWER package across all countries.
Also, promote healthy diets with a specific focus on salt reduction and eliminating trans-fatty acids by implementing WHO SHAKE and WHO REPLACE technical packages.
Countries in the region should also scale up programs and service delivery models that improve the detection, diagnosis, and management of hypertension and diabetes in primary health care with referral mechanisms.
With only seven years left until the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target deadline, on this World Heart Day, it's a call for all of us to take action and empower ourselves to address CVD risk factors and improve disease outcomes, Dr. Khetrapal said.
