1.4M
people die every year from CVD in the region
Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the Middle East and North Africa region, responsible for more than one third of all deaths, or 1.4 million people every year.
Deaths attributed to cardiovascular diseases range from 40% of total deaths in Oman to 10% in Somalia.
The total number of CVD deaths has risen by 48% in the last 30 years
The burden of obesity in the region more than doubled between 2000 and 2019
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Latest News
Emerging Leaders Programme 2026: Applications are now open
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 […]
Emerging Leaders
Improving hypertension management in The Gambia
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 […]
Hypertension
Global societies unite to address environmental threats to heart health
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 […]
A Milestone for Cardiovascular Health in Europe: The EU Safe Hearts Plan
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 […]
