58 lakh People In India Receiving Treatment For Hypertension: WHO Study

Hypertension is an ailment that has been significantly on the rise in India and the most recent World Health Organization report on the statistics in our country is quite alarming. According to the report, nearly 58 lakh people in India are diagnosed with hypertension and receiving treatment for the same. Only one in five hypertensive patients, according to the study, take measures to keep their blood pressure under control.

The report also stated that hypertension affects one in three persons worldwide. WHO included worrisome information on the rise of this lethal disease, which is referred to as a silent killer, not just in India but also in many other nations.

According to WHO, hypertension affects one in three people in India and a potential 76 million deaths could be avoided by 2050 if proper medication and proper treatment are available. The India Hypertension Control Initiative (IHCI) has pledged to lower deaths from ailments like hypertension in the next two years. This means that by 2025, it aims to reduce deaths from non-communicable diseases by 25 per cent. This includes lowering high blood pressure, improving physical health and leading to a healthy lifestyle.

To reduce mortality, the WHO, the Indian Council of Medical Research, state governments, and the Ministry of Health developed IHCI in 2017.

The IHCI has created a programme called WHO HEARTS to prescribe medical protocols for the treatment of hypertension in 27 states and union territories in India, with the assistance of consultants from the WHO. This treatment plan covers low-cost methods for preventing and controlling excessive blood pressure as well as heart attacks, strokes and other issues linked to the heart. These include high-quality medications, precise treatment guidelines, patient progress tracking systems and improvements in general health.

According to the WHO, hypertension affects one in three Indians between the ages of 30 and 79. Hypertension was identified in 54% of people. Treatment is being provided for this in 45% of cases. According to reports, 21 per cent have controlled hypertension.