High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease, causing more than 240,000 deaths annually in Bangladesh.

Preventable causes of heart attacks, strokes and kidney disease can be addressed by strengthening primary health care systems and increasing health budget allocations.

This was highlighted at a press conference on improving cardiovascular health in Bangladesh held at the InterContinental Dhaka Hotel on Saturday, organizers said in a statement.

The event was co-organized by the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh (NHFB), PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress), Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), and Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL).

“One in four adults in Bangladesh has high blood pressure. Bangladesh has made rapid progress in preventing deaths from infectious diseases. This will also make the country a world leader in preventing heart attacks and strokes.” said Tom Frieden, president and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives and former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Bangladesh has made dramatic progress by increasing the number of patients treated by 20 times and doubling the quality of care at the same time. By investing in strengthening primary care services that provide blood pressure treatment, This can prevent strokes and strokes and save many lives.”