Staff Correspondent

The prevalence of hypertension is increasing alarmingly in Bangladesh. Fewer than one in seven people with hypertension have their condition under control.

While the provision of free medicine has already commenced to combat the prevalence of hypertension, ensuring its availability in all healthcare facilities at the grassroots level is essential to effectively reduce hypertension-related non-communicable diseases and deaths. At the same time, sustainable funding is required for an uninterrupted supply of the medicine.

These information and recommendations were highlighted at a virtual workshop for journalists titled “Hypertension Control in Bangladesh: Progress and Way Forward” on 5th October 2024.

The workshop was organized by research and advocacy organization PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) with support from Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI). Twenty-six journalists from Sylhet division working in print, electronic, and online media houses participated in the workshop.

It was informed at the workshop that one in every four adults in Bangladesh suffers from hypertension and it is one of the major risk factors for various non-communicable diseases including heart diseases, stroke, cancer, kidney diseases, respiratory diseases and diabetes. Ensuring the availability of anti-hypertensive medicine at the grassroots level along with increased allocation to effectively address hypertension can prevent heart attacks and strokes, ultimately saving lives. Hypertension is one of the three major reasons for death and disability in Bangladesh.

ABM Zubair, Executive Director of PROGGA was present at the event as discussant. PROGGA’s Director Md. Shahedul Alam and Coordinator Sadia Galiba Prova delivered presentations on hypertension control.