Delilah D’Souza

Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, May 17: Hypertension, the silent yet deadly condition, continues to be one of the biggest public health threats across South-East Asia, with over 294 million affected, the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed on World Hypertension Day, observed annually on May 17.

India alone bears a heavy burden, with over 220 million people suffering from high blood pressure. Yet, according to WHO South-East Asia Regional Director Saima Wazed, nine out of every ten people with hypertension are not receiving optimal care.

“Hypertension remains a leading contributor to premature mortality from heart attacks and strokes in our region. The unmet need – the gap between those affected and those adequately diagnosed, treated, and controlled – remains as high as 88%,” Wazed stated.

She pointed out that behavioural risk factors such as tobacco and alcohol use, high salt consumption, sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy diets, and mental stress are driving its widespread prevalence.

To tackle this growing crisis, India has committed to significantly lowering the prevalence of hypertension by a quarter in the coming years. The government’s Indian Hypertension Control Initiative (IHCI), launched in 2017, aims to speed up treatment access for millions of Indians by strengthening primary healthcare systems and ensuring regular follow-up.

“Uncontrolled blood pressure is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and is responsible for nearly a third of all deaths in India,” Wazed added, emphasizing the need for integrated healthcare services that include maternal health, mental wellness, and infectious disease care.

WHO continues to push for a global reduction in premature deaths from non-communicable diseases by about 33% by the end of this decade. With bold policies, public participation, and scalable solutions, experts believe the burden of hypertension can be significantly reduced in India and across the region.