WHF has been working closely with WHF Members in Zambia, Bangladesh, Portugal and Senegal to convene Roundtables during the last month.
The Zambia Heart and Stroke Foundation brought together key opinion leaders to address the growing use of tobacco in Zambia. Representatives from the Zambia Ministry of Health, multidisciplinary health professionals, and NGOs representing stroke, obesity, tobacco-free, and youth participated in the Roundtable. They agreed on the priority action areas of improved communication, awareness and advocacy.
WHF Member Eminence Associates for Social Development hosted a national roundtable discussion to encourage the government to ensure quality healthcare services for hypertension, CVDs, and Diabetes in the next 5th Health Population and Nutrition Sector Program. The dialogue inspired immediate action and participants urged officials to transfer control of urban primary healthcare from the local government to the ministry of health and family welfare. Urban primary healthcare facilities should, first and foremost, enhance their capabilities in CVD and diabetes screening, treatment, prescription supply, and disease management education.
A Roundtable on Cholesterol was convened by WHF Member Portuguese Society of Cardiology in Lisbon, Portugal. Using the recently updated WHF Roadmap on Cholesterol, national experts discussed barriers to the inadequate management of cholesterol. Agreed solutions will be presented in an outcome document to be published and used to advocate towards decision-makers in the country.
On 25 January, WHF, in partnership with the Senegalese Society of Cardiology, organised a successful roundtable in Dakar to address the rising burden of hypertension in Senegal. Greater involvement of community health workers in hypertension management emerged as a key action to be taken, coupled with improved data collection and management systems. Participants further agreed on the importance of promoting fixed-dose combination for better hypertension outcomes.
