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Program

Primary Health Care

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With more than 1.4 billion people across the world affected by hypertension, it is considered the world’s largest killer, responsible for at least 10 million deaths every year. The Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) advocates for prioritization of hypertension as a public health emergency. We work with governments, civil society organizations and the media to create awareness, strengthen health systems and improve budget allocation for hypertension treatment. We work with governments to prioritize hypertension control as part of their overall non-communicable disease (NCDs) prevention and control efforts. 

Our core strategies include:

  • Advocate to policymakers to strengthen their health systems to improve quality of hypertension care and make treatment and care available to all, streamline operations that will enable patient-centric care and put in place stronger monitoring and oversight mechanisms. 
  • Engage with policymakers, media and patient and advocacy groups to demand change, build political will, raise awareness and put the spotlight on affordable and accessible hypertension treatment. 
  • Prioritize adequate funding for a national hypertension program, trained heath care workers delivering uninterrupted and quality services to all, and the availability of medicines and properly calibrated blood pressure measurement devices.

This work is supported by Resolve to Save Lives.

Where We Work

  • Current:
  • Bangladesh,
  • India,
  • Nigeria
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Our Impact

2023

The government of India launched a plan to ensure treatment and control for 75 million hypertension and diabetes patients by 2025. As part of this effort, the government has integrated the GHAI-supported Indian Hypertension Control Initiative into the nationwide program for prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

2023

In Bangladesh, advocacy by GHAI and its partners ensured the inclusion of a key hypertension medicine (Amlodipine) in the drug list of community clinics in rural areas across the country. This landmark step by community health support trust has helped decentralize follow up visits and medication refills for the poorest patients, many of whom had to travel over 2-3 hours, and forgo a day’s wages, to receive treatment and medication.

2023

NCD oversight committees have been constituted in two major Indian states to review progress on hypertension control and steps taken to bring more people under the treatment net.

Bangladesh’s government is proactively collaborating with civil society organizations to strengthen its Hypertension Control Initiative (BHCI). Under this initiative, more than 1 million adults being screened in health centers in sub national rural areas with over 147,000 adults registered as hypertensive patients and 52% of the registered patients' blood pressure was found to be under control during their most recent visit.

On World Hypertension Day 2023, India intensified its commitment to hypertension control at the national, state, and district levels with its announcement, that it aims to bring 75 million people under standard hypertension care by 2025. As part of this effort, the government has integrated GHAI-supported Indian Hypertension Control Initiative into the nationwide program for prevention of non-communicable diseases.

Program Resources

Relevant Team Members

Lopa Ghosh

Senior Advisor, Communications

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Vandana Shah

Vice President, Health Systems Strengthening

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Related Case Studies

View All Case Studies
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Expanding Access to Hypertension Care in India: Advocacy for Health Budgets and System Strengthening

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, from January 2020 through June 2021, health and wellness centers in Punjab, India, trained over 2,600 health workers and provided more than 5.2 million consultations with patients, including 2.5 million consultations on diabetes and hypertension.