The prevalence of hypertension in Bangladesh is rising at an alarming rate. According to the latest Bangladesh NCD STEPS Survey 2022, one in four adults is now affected by hypertension, up from one in five in previous years. To address this growing health concern, experts emphasized the need to ensure the availability of anti-hypertensive medication at all healthcare facilities, particularly at the grassroots level.
They also stressed the importance of sustainable funding to maintain a consistent supply of these medicines.
These recommendations were discussed at a workshop titled "Hypertension Control in Bangladesh: Progress and Way Forward," held at BMA Bhaban in Dhaka on Tuesday (22 October), read a press release.
The event was organised by PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress), a research and advocacy organization, with support from the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI). Twenty-six journalists from various print, television, and online media outlets participated in the workshop.
During the event, it was revealed that non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including heart disease, stroke, cancer, kidney disease, respiratory conditions, diabetes, and hypertension, are responsible for 70% of all deaths in Bangladesh. Despite this, the government allocates only 4.2% of the total health budget to combat these diseases, which experts believe is insufficient. Increasing the budgetary allocation for NCDs is crucial to effectively addressing the risks posed by hypertension and other chronic illnesses.
Key speakers at the event included Muhammad Ruhul Quddus, Bangladesh Country Lead of GHAI; Zahirul Alam, Head of News at NTV; and ABM Zubair, Executive Director of PROGGA. Presentations on hypertension control were delivered by PROGGA’s Director Md. Shahedul Alam and Coordinator Sadia Galiba Prova.
