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New Hypertension Management Initiative in India Aims To Reduce Disability and Death From High Blood Pressure

(New York, USA) – Resolve to Save Lives, an initiative of Vital Strategies, applauds the launch of the India Hypertension Management Initiative (IHMI), a collaborative project between the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), State Governments in India, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), World Health Organization India (WHO), and Resolve to Save Lives.

Nearly 200 million adults in India have high blood pressure, a number that appears to be increasing while control rates remain low. Studies suggest that in rural areas in India, only one quarter of people with hypertension are aware of their condition, and only around ten percent have their blood pressure controlled.  In urban areas, around 40 percent of people with hypertension are aware of their condition, and only around 20 percent have their blood pressure controlled.

“The effort to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease in India and globally is at a tipping point,” said Dr. Tom Frieden, President and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives.  “We look forward to working together with MoHFW, ICMR and WHO to save millions of lives by accelerating progress in preventing heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure and other preventable complications of hypertension.”

José Luis Castro, President and Chief Executive Officer, Vital Strategies, commented, “Cardiovascular disease is a growing health concern in India. Vital Strategies’ Resolve to Save Lives initiative, led by Dr. Tom Frieden, will work with partners and governments to strengthen critical public health systems and increase access to effective, inexpensive, and safe interventions. We look forward to working with India-based partners to expand our existing work in India to address the growing public health challenge posed by cardiovascular disease in the region, and deliver rapid progress to prevent 100 million deaths.”

The IHMI is focused on five essential components of scalable treatment of hypertension. It will support the adoption of standardized treatment plans for managing high blood pressure, regular and uninterrupted supply of quality-assured medications, task sharing so health workers who are accessible to patients can distribute medications already prescribed by the medical officer, and patient-centered services that reduce the barriers to treatment adherence. Data on hypertension will be improved through streamlined monitoring systems, and the lessons learned and practice-based evidence will inform further interventions to improve cardiovascular care.

IHMI will progressively roll out across districts the Government of India has selected for expansion of active screening and intensification of treatment activities for hypertension, starting in January 2018.

More information about Resolve to Save Lives is available at www.resolvetosavelives.org.

About Resolve to Save Lives

Resolve to Save Lives is a five-year, $225 million campaign funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. It is led by Dr. Tom Frieden, former director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and is an initiative of Vital Strategies, which works in 60 countries to address the world’s most challenging health issues. To find out more visit: https://www.resolvetosavelives.org or Twitter @ResolveTSL.

About Vital Strategies

Vital Strategies is a global health organization that seeks to accelerate progress on the world’s most pressing health problems. The Vital Strategies team combines evidence-based strategies with innovation to help develop and implement sound public health policies, manage programs efficiently, strengthen data systems, conduct research, and design strategic communication campaigns for policy and behavior change. To find out more, please visit vstrategystage.wpengine.com or Twitter @VitalStrat.