Philippines Hosts World Heart Day Celebration 2022

10 Oct 2022

The situation in the Philippines almost mirrors the global situation. According to the Global Health Estimates, 68% of deaths in the Philippines are caused by NCDs, with CVDs as the largest killers responsible for a third of deaths in the country. These numbers remain invisible and not urgently addressed.

According to Dr. Bente Mikkelsen, Director of Noncommunicable Disease, WHO Headquarters, reduction on premature mortality from NCDs will not be achieved if we carry on with ‘business as usual.’ She stressed for greater action on cardiovascular diseases starting with integrating hypertension and diabetes into essential universal healthcare packages.

The Philippine Department of Health (DOH) and World Health Organization (WHO) hosted the Heart Care Summit last September 28,2022 in Manila with the theme Preventing and Beating Cardiovascular Diseases. This highlighted urgent actions needed to prevent premature deaths caused by CVDs and advocate for the well-being of people living with NCDs. The summit strengthened the collaboration with DOH, WHO, development partners, academe, civil society, patient support groups and advocacy groups.

The DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire, stated the in the Philippines, prevalence and risk factors of cardiovascular diseases including stroke occur at much younger population compared to other countries. She stressed the need to work together to bring essential primary care services closer to Filipino families for the prevention and management of NCDs, while building healthier schools, communities, and workplaces.

The Heart Care Summit discussed innovations to decrease cardiovascular diseases on a national scale. The Phil DOH already passed the guidelines on the elimination of trans fatty acids (TFA) in food by requiring reformulation in prepackaged processed food by June 18,2023. A community wide education, detection, treatment and control of NCDs is a top priority. The Iloilo provincial government has successfully launched the Healthy Heart Project in Jan 2021. They enrolled 17,775 hypertensive patients and 82% had good BP. This was made possible through organized community efforts with the barangay health workers and local government.

The World Heart Day was celebrated in Iloilo City last September 29,2022 with the theme One World, One Home, One Heart. The emphasis of the advocacy was prevention including smoking ban at home, eating healthy food, family joining physical activities and knowing the health numbers like blood pressure and sugar. The highlight of the celebration was the with launching of patient support groups, Diabetes and Hypertension Clubs.

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