Unite Efforts To Reduce Premature Mortality From Cardiovascular Diseases: WHO

New Delhi: Most cardiovascular diseases can be prevented and a whole-of government approach is needed to address risk factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity, the World Health Organisation on Thursday said. Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in the South-East Asia Region with 3.6 million lives lost every year, it said. Preventing cardiovascular diseases “requires whole-of government and whole-of society approaches to address the range of risk factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and harmful use of alcohol,” Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia Region said at a webinar ‘SEA HEARTS’.

To reduce deaths from cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) by one third by 2030, WHO South-East Asia Region plans to scale-up and integrate ongoing initiatives through SEA HEARTS, the ‘WHO South-East Asia HEARTS initiative’.

Also Read: Climate Change And Health: Five Reasons For Immediate Climate Action

SEA HEARTS seeks to promote heart health and to reduce premature mortality from cardiovascular diseases, strokes, and diabetes.

All countries in the region have adopted the WHO HEARTS package, a step-by-step approach for countries to improve cardiovascular health in primary health care.

We must mobilise and strengthen political will and accountability, with a focus on achieving full implementation of the WHO HEARTS technical package, Dr Khetrapal Singh said.

Also Read: How Healthy Are India’s Women: A Quick Lowdown

Use heart means to think differently.To make the right decisions. To act with courage.To help others. ‘For every heart’ means ensuring that we reach as many individuals as possible to help achieve cardiovascular health for every heart, the Regional Director said.

As part of a united effort to promote cardiovascular health, representatives from member countries, partners, academic institutions and civil society organisations participated in the webinar which discussed ways to accelerate action against CVDs.

Earlier this month, health ministers from member countries endorsed a new implementation roadmap for NCD prevention and control in Paro, Bhutan.

Also Read: The Primary Unit Of Healthcare In India Is The Backbone Of Rural Healthcare

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.