Introduction:
World Health Day is celebrated on 7 April to mark the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948. Each year a theme is selected for World Health Day that highlights a priority area of public health concern in the world. The theme for 2013 is High Blood Pressure or “Hypertension”.
The purpose of this campaign is to increase the health awareness in the community, and to encourage changing the behaviors related to the primary prevention of high blood pressure, as well as improving the chances of early detection of the disease and enhancing the effective treatment for patients.
Globally, it is estimated that high blood pressure causes 7.5 million deaths per year, which represents more than 12% of the total deaths. This disease increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, blindness and other vascular diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that high blood pressure affects about 40% of adults aged 25 years and older.
This event aims to convince the policy makers, the national and international society, and the other concerned authorities to prioritize prevention, early detection and treatment of high blood pressure in the policies and national programs and activities. The campaign also aims at the involvement of the local communities and individuals; in an endeavor to increase the public awareness of the problem, as well as focusing the public awareness campaign on the preventive interventions that reduce the risk of high blood pressure.
About High Blood Pressure:
High Blood Pressure – also known as raised blood pressure or hypertension – increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure. If left uncontrolled, high blood pressure can also cause blindness, irregularities of the heartbeat and heart failure. The risk of developing these complications is higher in the presence of other cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes. More than one in three adults worldwide has high blood pressure. The proportion increases with age, from 1 in 10 people in their 20s and 30s up to 5 in 10 people in their 50s. Prevalence of high blood pressure is highest in some low-income countries in Africa, with over 40% of adults in many African countries thought to be affected.
The High Blood Pressure is reckoned a serious health problem in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and the world. However, this disease is both preventable and treatable. In some developed countries, prevention and treatment of the condition, together with other cardiovascular risk factors, has brought about a reduction in deaths from heart diseases. The risk of developing high blood pressure can be reduced by the following:
- Reducing salt intake.
- Eating a balanced diet.
- Taking regular physical activity.
- Maintaining a healthy body weight.
- Avoiding smoking of tobacco.
- Avoiding drinking of alcohol.
Approved Date:
Worldwide: 7th April, 2013
Locally: 26th Jumada Al-Oula, 1434 H.
Theme:
“Control Your Blood Pressure .. Protect Your Life .. Improve Your Health”
Targeted Groups:
- Patients with high blood pressure and their families.
- Health sector staff.
- Health associations and decision makers.
- Public community
Health Goals of the World Health Day:
General goal: is to promote the awareness of healthy behaviors, improve the disease detection means and create the appropriate environments for healthy behaviors.
Ultimate goal: is to reduce heart attacks and strokes.
Objectives of the World Health Day are:
- To raise awareness of the causes and consequences of high blood pressure.
- To provide the necessary awareness information on how to prevent high blood pressure and the main related complications.
- To encourage adults to check their blood pressure periodically and to follow the health tips.
- To encourage self-care to prevent high blood pressure.
- To make blood pressure measurement affordable to all.
- To incite the national and local authorities to create the proper environments for healthy behaviors.
Logo of the World Health Day 2013:
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