In Photos: World Hypertension Day

Worldwide, three out of every 10 people have hypertension (high blood pressure); the World Health Organisation has called it the planet’s “number one killer”. Latest figures show 1 billion people have been diagnosed with the condition. But half those people who have high blood pressure are unaware of it and some who are aware do not take any medical action due to access or choice. For World Hypertension Day on 17 May, the theme is Know Your Numbers, with the goal of increasing awareness of high blood pressure.
Photograph: Alex Kumar

Cardiovascular disease prevention and care is challenging for low and middle-income countries. Hypertension causes an estimated 91,000 deaths per year in Vietnam – 21% of all deaths in the country. One in four adults in Vietnam have high blood pressure. Environmental factors such as increasing urbanization, pollution, lack of physical activity, obesity and diets high in salt all contribute to developing hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.
Photograph: Alex Kumar

To overcome a lack of awareness of hypertension and access issues to measurements and treatment, Novartis Foundation and Path, an international nonprofit organisation, set up the Communities for Healthy Hearts initiative in Ho Chi Minh City, in collaboration with the ministry of health, city provincial health department and preventive medicine centre, and Hanoi University of Public Health. Volunteers get support from local health centres. Dr Nam Phuong (right), a cardiologist in Vietnam, is a technical adviser for the project. She was inspired to train in cardiology after her uncle suffered a stroke.
Photograph: Alex Kumar