UAE starts nationwide hypertension detection campaign
In May and June of this year, the initiative will test 50,000 adults at various sites across the nation.
In partnership with the International Society of Hypertension and campaign sponsors, the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has launched the National Campaign for Early Detection of Hypertension.
In collaboration with government and private healthcare organisations, academic institutions, Life Pharmacies, the Emirates Cardiac Society, Servier, and Omron, the programme will test 50,000 adults this year at various sites around the nation in May and June.
Having the "Don't wait! Participate and be informed: Monitor Your Blood Pressure and Embrace a Confident, Healthy Life" is a community health awareness campaign that emphasises the value of monitoring blood pressure, leading a healthy lifestyle, and being aware of the causes of hypertension and its complications.
In keeping with the goals of the sustainable development strategy, it also intends to lower the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases.
The inaugural ceremony in Dubai was attended by Dr. Hussain Abdul Rahman Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for the Public Health Sector, and Dr. Buthaina Abdullah bin Balila, Head of the Non-Communicable Disease Department at the Ministry. In addition, there are representatives from universities, public and private health organisations.
In keeping with the best worldwide practises based on scientific research and evidence, Dr. Al Rand stated that the national campaign will help the UAE's goals targeted at combatting noncommunicable diseases and improving prevention as well as control of hypertension.
He stressed that the UAE is leading the pack of nations putting programmes and efforts created to lower the prevalence of diseases, including high blood pressure, which is one of the strategic health indicators, into practise. The country wants to reduce the rate of high blood pressure by 30% by 2030, which will improve people's quality of life and build a society with sustained well-being. This can be done by emphasising prevention over treatment and being driven by a clear vision that includes successful initiatives, plans, and projects.
"The nationwide campaign was first introduced on May 1, 2017, and then campaigns in 2018 and 2019 were launched in collaboration with public health organisations and the private health industry. Al Rand urged guests, business partners, and community people to fully participate in the campaign. As a result, the nation achieved amazing achievement, taking first place among 89 countries.
For her part, Dr. Buthaina emphasised that the national campaign will help promote public health and strengthen preventive and health commitments, adding that the ministry has already created effective plans for managing preventive and community health programmes to improve the standard of living for people in the country.
The campaign, she continued, will provide free blood pressure screening services, during which nurses, trained volunteers, and a nationwide network of pharmacies will gather basic demographic and clinical information and take blood pressure readings.
According to Dr. Buthaina, MoHAP is committed to regularly updating scientific evidence based on the most recent research and practises from around the world. To aid in the development of healthcare professionals' skills, the fourth updated version of the hypertension guide was released in 2019, and plans are currently being made to provide the updated version in 2023.
