Cardiovascular Disease Becoming Major Health Problem in Africa: WHO
Posted on: Friday, 26 August 2005, 09:01 CDT
Cardiovascular disease becoming major health problem in Africa: WHO
MAPUTO, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have become a major and growing public health problem in the African region, local media reported on Thursday.
The warning was contained in a report presented here on Wednesday by WHO Regional Director for Africa Luis Sambo at the ongoing 55th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa on August 22-26.
The report attributes the growing threat of CVDs to several factors, including a rise in the consumption of tobacco products, unhealthy diet, a reduction in physical activity, and an increase in aged populations.
Sambo expressed concern that the emergency of CVDs in Africa has not been matched by corresponding health service structures and human resources.
"Current health care systems were developed to provide acute, episodic care; they are inadequately designed to care for people with chronic conditions such as CVDs," he said.
He proposed priority interventions to be implemented by countries in the region in order to curb the emerging epidemic of CVDs, with priority given to primary intervention.
The measures proposed by Sambo include the setting up of national noncommunicable disease programs; implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control; the establishment of surveillance systems based on risk factors; capacity building for health personnel; ensuring availability of cost-effective medications as well as the Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, etc. WHO data show that annually, 15 million people worldwide suffer a stroke which leads to 5 million deaths and another 5 million people permanently disabled, placing a heavy burden on individuals, families and communities.
Other major life-threatening CVDs in the African region are heart attack (coronary heart disease), hypertension, cardiomyopathies, heart failure and rheumatic heart disease.
Source: Xinhua News Agency - CEIS
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