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
2025 Emerging Leaders cohort announced
The 2025 Emerging Leaders cohort, which includes candidates from 25 countries across 5 continents, has been announced The World Heart Federation created the WHF Salim Yusuf Emerging Leaders Programme to form and develop a long-term cadre of experts who collaborate, research, and act to reduce premature mortality from cardiovascular disease globally. The Programme, established by […]
World Heart Federation urges governments to prioritize hypertension treatment at fourth UN High-level Meeting on NCDs
GENEVA, 06 August 2025: Governments must scale up treatment for hypertension, which is one of the major risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD), to 500 million more people by 2030 to tackle the global CVD crisis and save millions of lives, according to the World Heart Federation (WHF). The move is one of five key […]
UN High-Level Meeting
World Drug Day: A new frontier for heart health advocacy
The World Heart Federation is proud to observe World Drug Day for the first time, joining the international community in raising awareness about the impact of psychoactive drug use on cardiovascular health. Extensive evidence shows that various psychoactive drugs can severely affect the heart, triggering acute events, such as myocardial infarctions and strokes, and/or contributing […]
No More Smoke and Mirrors: Exposing Industry Tactics to Protect Heart Health
The World Heart Federation is proud to celebrate World No Tobacco Day with the global cardiovascular and tobacco control communities, under the theme Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing Industry Tactics on Tobacco and Nicotine Products. Tobacco remains a major – yet entirely preventable – risk factor for cardiovascular disease, responsible for approximately 15% of all cardiovascular-related […]
