Health Ministry launches India Hypertension Mngt. Initiative

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New Delhi : Preeti Sudan, Secretary, Health and Family Welfare  (HFW) and Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Secretary, DHR and DG, ICMR, launched the India Hypertension Management Initiative (IHMI) at a function, here on November 28, 2017.

The IHMI aims to reduce disability and death related to cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of death in India, by improving the control of high blood pressure (hypertension), reducing salt consumption and eliminating artificial trans-fats, leading risk factors for CVD, according to a PIB release.

Preeti Sudan underlined the various aspects of the non-communicable diseases (NCD) like prevention, detection and management. She stated that creating awareness about NCDs is vital as it is a silent disease. She said that there is urgent need to raise awareness about NCDs amongst families regarding packaged food and processed foods with excessive salt and trans-fat. She also highlighted the need for incorporating yoga in one’s life for prevention and management of hypertension.

Dr Soumya Swaminathan highlighted the importance of initiating and managing treatment for hypertension. She emphasized on the need for public education programme on nutrition and training of frontline healthcare workers regarding management of hypertension. She stated that the risk factors have to be managed at a very young age.

The IHMI is focused on five essential components of scalable treatment of hypertension. It will support the adoption of standardized simplified treatment plans for managing high blood pressure.

Around 200 million adults in India have high blood pressure, yet control rates for the condition remain low. Studies suggest that in rural areas in India, only one quarter of people with hypertension are aware of their condition, and only around 10 % have their blood pressure controlled. In urban areas, around 40% of people with hypertension are aware of their condition, and only around 20% have their blood pressure controlled, according to the PIB release.