World Heart Day Observed

Work With Heart

Heart diseases or cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the world’s largest killers, claiming more than17.2 million lives a year. It often affects many people in middle age, very often severely limiting the income and savings of affected individuals and their families. 80 percent of these premature deaths could be avoided by controlling the main risk factors: tobacco, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. This was the key messages for this year’s “World Heart Day” with the theme “Work With Heart”. The day was observed across the world, including Bangladesh, in the last week of September 2009. On September 27, different Government, Non Government and International Organizations of Bangladesh held programmes to mark the day.

To increase public awareness of the risk of heart disease and stroke, and to promote preventive measures at various levels of society, a rally followed by general awareness seminar was organized at the auditorium of National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh (NHFB) at Mirpur on the day by NHFB in collaboration with WHO Bangladesh. In the General Awareness Seminar, Health Minister of the Bangladesh Government, Dr  AFM Ruhal Haque, stressed that the government would extend facilities of surgical and intensive care services for the patients of heart diseases at all public medical college hospitals. Steps will be taken to ensure services at all the district-level hospitals through establishing coronary care units and other services, given that  the number of the patients with heart ailments is on the rise, he said. He was speaking as  the Chief Guest of the Seminar while Dr Duangvadee Sungkhobol, WHO  Representative to Bangladesh was the Special Guest. Among others NHFB Secretary General National Prof Brig (retd) Abdul Malik and Vice President Prof RK Khondoker also spoke. NHFB President, Justice Chowdhury ATM Masud, chaired the seminar.

Health Minister Prof. Ruhal Haque stressed the need for public-private partnership (PPP) in this regard as the overall treatment cost for the disease is often beyond the reach of the poor. He also requested NHFB to come forward to treat the poor at low and affordable cost.

WHO Representative to Bangladesh Dr Duangvadee Sungkhobol said that the working traditions and environments vary among countries, even within the country among various regions and settings. Therefore, interventions should be country or region or organization-specific to maximize their benefits. Formulation of strategies and action plans for such interventions, a good understanding of their situation is necessary. Therefore, she urged members of the learned medical profession and researchers to develop appropriate intervention programme which would be effective, sustainable and culturally appropriate for Bangladesh. She also reiterated WHO’s committment to provide technical support for development of this kind of programmes.

The BNHF also brought out a colourful rally to mark the day.

At the seminar,  experts stressed the need for healthy working environment to keep their hearts sound. They explained that healthy working environment has four advantages. It saves life, keeps the employees healthy, strengthens social bond and brings economic advantages by reducing treatment cost and absenteeism.

At the same time, it is important to take adequate fruits and vegetables, take exercise, control weight as well as  avoid smoking, they added. According to the experts, tobacco use, physical inactivity and unhealthy diet leads to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar and obesity which are the main risk factors of heart ailments and stroke.

Different organizations chalked out a number of programmes, including rally and workshops  to mark the day. The Bangladesh Cardiac Society brought out a procession with Baul songs highlighting heart disease prevention messages.

Key Messages to Protect one’s Heart
Heart attacks and strokes are major - but preventable - killers worldwide. It occurs almost equally in men and women. Here are some simple but very useful measures that can largely prevent heart diseases.

Take regular physical activity: At least 30 minutes of regular physical activity every day helps to maintain cardiovascular fitness and significantly reduce the chance of developing heart diseases. Doing exercise for at least 60 minutes on most days helps to maintain healthy weight.

Eat a healthy diet: A balanced diet is crucial to a healthy heart and circulation system. This should include plenty of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, fish and pulses, and restricted salt and sugar intake. Limiting your salt intake to less than one teaspoon a day helps to prevent heart attacks and strokes.

Avoid tobacco use: Tobacco in every form is very harmful to health - cigarettes, cigars, pipes, or chewable tobacco. Exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke is also dangerous. The risk of heart attack and stroke starts to drop immediately after a person stops using tobacco products, and can drop by as much as half after one year.

Know your blood pressure: High blood pressure usually has no symptoms, but can cause a sudden stroke or heart attack. Have your blood pressure checked.

Know your blood sugar: Raised blood glucose (diabetes) increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes. If you have diabetes it is very important to control your blood pressure and blood sugar to minimize the risk.

Know your blood lipids: Raised blood cholesterol increases the risk of heart attacks and stroke. Blood cholesterol needs to be controlled through a healthy diet and, if necessary, by appropriate medications.