PATH, Ghana Health Service commemorate World Hypertension Day

World Hypertension day was initiated in the year 2005 by the World Hypertension League (WHL) to increase awareness for Hypertension.

Globally, May 17th is the day to commemorate this event and the theme for this year is “Controlling Hypertension Together: check your blood pressure regularly, defeat the silent killer.”

In 2024, an estimated 1.4 billion people aged 30–79 were living with high blood pressure worldwide, yet fewer than one in five had it adequately controlled.

In Ghana, non- communicable diseases (NCDs), including hypertension, account for 42% of all deaths, with hypertension affecting an estimated 34% of the population. While about 50% of individuals are aware of their diagnosis, only 37% are on treatment, and just 19% have their blood pressure under control.

The high global prevalence of hypertension and associated premature mortality underscores the urgent need for countries to implement measures for its prevention and control.

Healthy Heart Africa, an AstraZeneca Health Equity initiative, implemented in partnership with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and PATH complements national efforts to reduce the burden of hypertension in Ghana by promoting awareness, expanding screening and early detection in primary healthcare.

Since 2019, the HHA programme in Ghana has conducted over 3.4 million blood pressure screenings, over 740,000 identified with elevated blood pressure while over 152,000 individuals were diagnosed with hypertension who have been linked to health facilities for treatment and care.

Hypertension, like many other non-communicable diseases, is preventable and there are existing interventions to control it for people diagnosed with the disease.

Today May 17, World Hypertension Day serves as a reminder for everyone to check their blood pressure regularly and manage it effectively by adhering to treatment, so they can live healthy and productive lives.

AstraZeneca’s Healthy Heart Africa, PATH and the Ghana Health Service commemorated the World Hypertension Day in Accra and Kumasi with a series of activities including screening outreach programs and health talks on radio and other community awareness campaigns with emphasis on prevention and early detection of Hypertension.

Today is a rallying call to raise public awareness of the silent nature and dangers of hypertension and make hypertension prevention and control every person’s business.

PATH is a global non-profit dedicated to achieving health equity.

Reported by Isaac Honor, Kumasi