Firm targets 10 million hypertensive patients for treatment

A biopharmaceutical company, Astrazeneca, has said that it plans to reach 10 million hypertensive patients in sub-Saharan Africa, in a programme tagged “Healthy Heart Africa”.

The organisation noted that the initiative was part of its decision to reduce the burden of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases on the continent.

The news came on the heels of the 2016 World Hypertension Day celebration, which highlighted that less than 10 per cent of Africa’s 80 million hypertension patients have access to treatment.

According to the World Health Organisation, hypertension is one of the 10 top causes of death in Africa.

The company’s Vice President for the Middle East and Africa, Tarek Rabah, in a statement said Astrazeneca’s commitment came out of the need to provide screening centres and affordable treatment for 10 million patients across the continent.

“The prevalence of hypertension in Africa is the highest in the world, yet it is preventable, relatively easy to diagnose and treatable,” he said.

According to Rabah, Healthy Heart Africa will take the form of education and awareness, training and guidelines along with access and affordability.

Launched in Kenya in 2014, the company said it has screened more than one million people and identified 150,000 people living with hypertension.

Rabah added, “With Healthy Heart Africa, we aim to strengthen healthcare capabilities to provide life-long care for patients living with hypertension. We are confident that we have the right model to address the world’s largest silent killer.”

PUNCH.