The webinar was organized by the HPN Department of WHO South- East Asia Region to observe World Heart Day and World Stroke Day with the specific purpose of providing insights into initiatives aimed at enhancing the management of Acute Coronary Syndrome and Stroke in low- and middle-income countries.
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), primarily heart diseases and stroke, pose a significant health challenge in the WHO South-East Asia Region. CVD is responsible for causing 3.9 million annual deaths in 2021, accounting for 30% of all-cause mortality. Nearly half of the CVD-related deaths occur prematurely, leading to substantial socioeconomic burdens on families, communities, and countries. In addition to the high prevalence of modifiable behavioral risk factors, uncontrolled hypertension and diabetes are major factors to the burden of stroke and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and related complications in the younger age group. Moreover, CVDs drive up out-of-pocket healthcare expenses and catastrophic health costs, often pushing families into poverty due to the expenses incurred in outpatient and inpatient treatment and diagnosis.
There is a high return on investment by implementing clinical interventions for preventing and managing ACS, Stroke, and other CVDs. The implementation of the WHO HEARTS technical package at the primary health care level has shown positive results in the improvement of hypertension and diabetes outcomes in the region. countries need to leverage CVD prevention and management efforts at the primary health care level and scale up diagnosis and management of ACS, stroke, and end-stage renal disease.
A distinguished panel of experts and speakers representing various sectors, such as the Ministry of Health, academic institutions, healthcare providers, and researchers, covered a wide range of topics, including strengthening STEMI services, improving stroke care in resource-limited settings, sharing the experiences of national NCD programs in ACS and stroke management, and discussing the priorities of countries in advancing ACS and Stroke management in the region. It served as a platform to discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with scaling up interventions for the diagnosis and management of ACS and stroke at the country level.
The webinar was attended by over 200 participants which included policy makers, program managers, public health practitioners, and researchers from the South-East Asia Region and beyond.
