07.04.2013
Today, April 7th is World Health Day. On this day in 1948 the World Health Organization was founded. In Bulgaria on World Health Day the Bulgarian Health workers also mark their professional holiday.
Every year, the World Health Organization selects a priority area of global public health concern as the theme for World Health Day. This year the theme is “Controlling high blood pressure”.
The WHO notes that in the beginning of the 21-st century hypertension has become a global health problem and has created the Global brief on hypertension. The document underlines the commitment of governments, health workers, communities and the private sector to join forces for reducing high blood pressure and its negative effects on the health of patients.
Cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death globally. They account for approximately 17 million deaths in the world each year. Over 9 million of those are caused by complications of high blood pressure, also called hypertension or raised blood pressure. This includes 51% of deaths due to strokes and 45% of deaths due to coronary heart disease.
More than one in three adults worldwide has high blood pressure, with the proportion going up to one in two for people aged 50 and above. The number of people with high blood pressure rose from 600 million in 1980 to 1 billion in 2008.
This year’s campaign provides an opportunity to focus attention on the prevention and control of high blood pressure, as a means of reducing the number of people affected, both now and in the future, by cardiovascular disease. It is important to remember that high blood pressure is both preventable and treatable.
The Bulgarian Organization of Voluntary Blood Donation joins the campaign of the WHO for World Health Day, because of our belief that awareness and information about the problems is the key for their resolution. Detecting high blood pressure is the first step in preventing and controlling it. When people know their blood pressure level, they can take steps to control it. In order to cut the risks of high blood pressure and improve your health in general, you should try to consume less salt, eat a balanced diet, engage in regular physical activity, avoid tobacco use and harmful use of alcohol. Let’s not forget that our health is the most valuable thing we have and it should be a priority for all of us!
We also congratulate everyone who works in the health area and do everything they can to help those in need, despite all difficulties that they encounter on a daily basis. Happy professional holiday!