It is time to prioritise high blood pressure as a public health emergency: Experts

Experts claim that uncontrolled hypertension – a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke, is probably one of the main reasons why over the last decade, cardiovascular diseases have emerged as the top killer in India

In a COVID adjusted world, focus on hypertension treatment has gained prominence as experts call it a key strategy if we are to avert or minimise the impending NCD super storm. Recognising the need for urgent and incremental action, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), WHO representatives, AIIMS doctors and various national and global organisations gathered at a national consultation in the capital to brainstorm on a roadmap to stop the alarming rise of hypertension amongst Indians.

Experts claim that uncontrolled hypertension – a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke, is probably one of the main reasons why over the last decade, cardiovascular diseases have emerged as the top killer in India. Explaining that discontinuing or being irregular with BP medicines, leaves people without a protective cover, Dr Pankaj Bharadwaj, Additional Professor, AIIMS Jodhpur said, “More than 63 per cent of all deaths in India are due to NCDs and a large number of these deaths are linked to the underlying condition of hypertension. Although incremental efforts for screening have been made in recent years, among people with high blood pressure, only half have been diagnosed and of those, only 1 in 10 have blood pressure under control.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased barriers to achieving hypertension control as many health systems and governments worldwide have had to prioritise the urgent fight against COVID-19 above the management of chronic diseases. In India, health systems faced unforeseen pressures, resulting in the halting or at least delaying of the progress that had been made in recent years. In view of this simmering public health crisis, the Government of India has committed to 25 per cent relative reduction in hypertension prevalence by 2025. Achieving this goal will require effectively treating at least 15 crore people by 2024, pointed out Prof. Atul Goel, Director General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. “Efforts are on to strengthen primary health care on which at least 50 crore Indians depend, streamline availability of medicines at the AB-HWCs, improve follow ups and help more people stay within the treatment net”. The MoHFW is introducing innovations and reforms that will go a long way in addressing structural issues that obstruct treatment – such as guidelines to ensure all essential medicines, including for BP will be dispensed for up to 3 months. A rapid scale up of e-Sanjeevani, the government’s telemedicine facility which clocked 3.5 lakh daily consultations recently, has been a boon for patients with chronic conditions.”

Releasing a set of communication material, including posters, a case study on innovations in Punjab and testimonials from patients, Dr Sudarsan Mandal, Deputy Director General (NPCDCS), Dte GHS, MoHFW said, “A nation-wide awareness campaign for prevention, treatment & adherence of hypertension is the need of the hour. Primordial prevention for 4 major risk factors of hypertension needs to be started among the school children. As a first step, the Ministry in collaboration with civil society organisations is pleased to release these information and communication material.”

Speaking at the event, Vandana Shah, Regional Director, Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), said, “On World Hypertension Day, we have come together as PRACHI – an initiative to ‘Prioritise Advocacy for Control of Hypertension in India.’ Anchored with the Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) and supported by AIIMS, GHAI and other organisations offering their technical expertise, this is a nation-wide campaign to accelerate hypertension control and treatment in India.”