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This statement was delivered by Dr. Bente Mikkelsen, Chair of the WHF Advocacy Committee, under agenda item 6 – Noncommunicable Diseases – at the 158th session of the WHO Executive Board. Honourable Chair, Distinguished Delegates, The World Heart Federation applauds Member States for the adoption of the Fourth UN Political Declaration on Noncommunicable Diseases. We […]

The World Heart Federation (WHF) has announced details of the Salim Yusuf Emerging Leaders Programme 2026, which will take place from 29 November to 3 December 2026 in Florence, Italy. The programme will be hosted by the Menarini Foundation at its House of Sciences in Fiesole. The 2026 seminar will focus on integrated care for […]

The World Heart Federation (WHF) is proud to announce a new national initiative in The Gambia to strengthen hypertension prevention and control, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, the Cardiac Society of The Gambia and supported by Sanofi’s Global Health Unit. One in four adults is affected by hypertension in The Gambia, yet only […]

Key take-aways   The European Society of Cardiology, the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association and the World Heart Federation have published the first joint statement calling for urgent action to address environmental stressors as major contributors to cardiovascular disease (CVD).  Environmental risk factors that impact cardiovascular health include air pollution, traffic, airplane and industrial noise, artificial light exposure, chemical pollution, plastic and the various effects […]

On 16 December, the European Commission published the EU Safe Hearts Plan, the first comprehensive, EU-wide strategy dedicated to cardiovascular health. The Plan marks a major milestone in the EU’s response to cardiovascular disease, which remains the leading cause of death across the Union, responsible for 1.7 million deaths every year.  Momentum around the Safe Hearts Plan has been building in […]

Today’s passage of the Fourth United Nations Political Declaration on Noncommunicable Diseases and the promotion of mental health and well-being marks a watershed moment for international collaboration to tackle the world’s number one killer, cardiovascular disease (CVD). “WHF is buoyed by the encouraging support of major groups and so many Member States in addressing cardiovascular […]

WHF welcomes the first EU Cardiovascular Health Plan Every day in Europe, cardiovascular disease kills 5,000 people, yet it rarely makes the headlines. As Europe’s, and the world’s, leading cause of death, it demands both urgent attention and action. With the upcoming EU Cardiovascular Health Plan, the EU takes a major step to prioritise heart […]

In 2025, the World Heart Federation continued its advocacy at the forefront of global health by addressing the intersecting threats of tobacco, environmental degradation, and climate change, which together pose a growing burden on cardiovascular health worldwide.   These issues are closely connected: the tobacco industry contributes to deforestation, soil degradation, and greenhouse gas emissions, while cigarette filters […]

This statement was delivered by the World Heart Federation at the Eleventh session of the Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Madame Chair, Distinguished Delegates, The World Heart Federation applauds Parties for reaffirming their commitments under Articles 5.2(b) and 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. […]

This statement was delivered by the World Heart Federation at the Eleventh session of the Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Honourable Chair, Distinguished Delegates, The World Heart Federation commends Parties for the progress made in protecting the environment from tobacco-related harms and product waste. The impact of […]

This joint statement was led and delivered by the World Heart Federation at the Eleventh session of the Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Madam President, Distinguished Delegates, The World Heart Federation and the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) commend Parties for the strides made since 2023. […]