A nationwide awareness campaign has been launched to identify silent hypertension patients across the country and provide them with treatment. Under this initiative, one million individuals will be screened.
The campaign has been initiated in collaboration with the Karachi School of Arts and the Discovering Hypertension Program, where art students will, for the first time, play the role of public health messengers.
The inaugural ceremony was held at the Karachi School of Arts, where students had their blood pressure checked and were informed that not only adults but also young people are increasingly becoming victims of this disease. Experts said that mobile games, energy drinks, junk food, irregular sleep, and smoking have led to a rise in hypertension cases among the youth.
According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report, only 11 percent of hypertension patients in Pakistan have their blood pressure under control, while 89 percent are either untreated or inadequately treated, putting them at risk of heart attacks, strokes, and kidney failure.
PharmEvo’s Commercial Director, Abdul Samad, stated, “More than 1.5 million dialysis sessions are conducted annually due to uncontrolled blood pressure. If the youth do not change their lifestyle now, this number will continue to increase.”
Executive Director of Karachi School of Arts, Imran Zuberi, said, “Messages from the government have less impact compared to when young people speak in their own language. Therefore, short films, posters, and videos will be used to deliver this message to households.”
According to the plan, in the first phase, a creative competition will be held among 500 students, and three best videos will be awarded. In addition, 500 public blood pressure screening camps will be set up, and free guidance and treatment will be provided at 100 clinics.
Health experts expressed hope that if the younger generation takes the lead, this campaign against the silent disease of hypertension could prove to be more effective than traditional awareness efforts.
