Thailand: Checking hypertension everywhere - WHO's achievement explained by Dr Jos Vandelaer

Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a condition in which the blood vessels have persistently raised pressure. Blood pressure is created by the force of blood pushing against the walls of blood vessels (arteries) as it is pumped by the heart. The higher the pressure, the harder the heart has to pump. In Thailand a quarter of all people have hypertension and only for about a quarter of them this high risk factor for heart disease and stroke is under control. (*Interview recorded in late 2024). Dr Jos Vandelaer, representative of the World Health Organization in Thailand, explains how WHO is supporting a new approach to managing hypertension.