Health experts at a programme said it is vital to make sure that treatment for hypertension is available at community clinic level throughout the country, as it will help protect people from contracting non-communicable diseases (NCDs)
The prevalence of hypertension and hypertension-related various non-communicable diseases and deaths are growing alarmingly in country, they said.
In addition to making such treatment accessible, it is also essential to ensure availability of hypertension medicines, as one in every five adults in the country suffers from the disease, they said.
They came up with the statements at a webinar titled ‘Health Risks Associated with Hypertension and the Needful’ organised by PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) on Thursday. The webinar was arranged marking the World Health Day on April 7.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Makhduma Nargis, Vice Chairperson of the Community Clinic Health Support Trust (CCHST), said it is possible to include hypertension drugs in the drug list of community clinics in consultation with expert committee of the Community Based Health Care (CBHC) under the health directorate.
She said skilled manpower and increasing their number in community clinics is a must.
Dr. S M Mustafa Zaman, Professor at Department of Cardiology of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), said it is necessary to raise awareness about accurate measurement of blood pressure.
“If the existing initiatives to control hypertension can be implemented in a coordinated manner, the prevalence of hypertension can be reduced to a great extent,” he added.
According to World Health Organisation (WHO), 30 percent of the global population is not able to access essential health services and almost two billion people face catastrophic or impoverishing health spending.
However, evidence shows that health systems powered by a primary health care (PHC) approach is the most effective and cost-effective way to bring health services closer to people.
Muhammad Ruhul Quddus, Bangladesh Country Lead of GHAI, Professor Dr. Sohel Reza Choudhury, Head of Department of Epidemiology & Research of National Heart Foundation, Dr Shamim Jubayer, Program Manager, Hypertension Control Program of National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute and ABM Zubair, Executive Director of PROGGA also spoke at the webinar.
The webinar was moderated by PROGGA’s Coordinator Sadia Galiba Prova while people of different professions from different regions of the country participated at the event.
Al Amin/mynuddin/4:26pm