Health Ministers of South-East Asia Region today adopted the "New Delhi Declaration on High Blood Pressure" to accord high priority to the prevention and control of high blood pressure reduce prevalence of hypertension by 25 per cent by 2025.
High blood pressure is the leading risk factor for mortality worldwide causing over 9 million deaths each year.
According to WHO, hypertension affects one out of three adults in South-East Asia and that it increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney failure, contributing to premature death and disability.
The Declaration aims to implement national salt reduction strategies such as creating public awareness and health education through mass media, food labelling and regulation of the food industry in order to reduce salt levels in processed food.
It also calls for creating healthy environments by adopting effective national legislation for 100 per cent tobacco smoke-free environments in all indoor workplaces, public transport, indoor public places and other public places consistent with Article 8 (Protection from exposure to tobacco smoke) of the WHO FCTC.
The Declaration provides for promoting collaborations among key multisectoral stakeholders in society such as education, agriculture, finance, communications, trade, transport, urban planning, environment, sports and youth affairs in order to create health-promoting environments that empower individuals, families and communities to make healthy choices and lead healthy lives.
It aims to implement national multisectoral policies and action plans to promote physical activity and healthy diet and reduce exposure to tobacco and harmful use of alcohol.
