Speakers at a journalists' workshop emphasized the urgent need to ensure the availability of anti-hypertensive medicines in healthcare facilities across Bangladesh's grassroots levels to combat the growing prevalence of hypertension.
Key recommendations were highlighted at a workshop for journalists titled “Hypertension Control in Bangladesh: Progress and Way Forward” held at the capital’s BMA Bhaban on Tuesday.
The latest Bangladesh NCD STEPS Survey 2022 shows that one in every four adults suffers from hypertension at present, an upward trend from the previous prevalence of one in five. Sustainable funding is required for an uninterrupted supply of the medicine.
The workshop was organized by the research and advocacy organization PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) with support from the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI). Twenty-six journalists working in print, television and online media participated in the workshop.
It was informed at the workshop that NCDs, such as heart diseases, stroke, cancer, kidney diseases, respiratory diseases, diabetes, and hypertension, are the most prevalent causes of death in Bangladesh and account for 70% of the total deaths.
However, the budgetary allocation dedicated to combating NCDs is alarmingly low, comprising only 4.2% of the total health budget. The risk of hypertension and other non-communicable diseases cannot be effectively addressed without increasing allocation in this sector.
Muhammad Ruhul Quddus, Bangladesh Country Lead of GHAI; Zahirul Alam, Head of News, NTV; and ABM Zubair, Executive Director of PROGGA, were some of the people present at the event as discussants. PROGGA Director Md Shahedul Alam and Coordinator Sadia Galiba Prova delivered presentations on hypertension control.
