Centre for Chronic Disease Control has Screened 1.1 Million Indians for High BP

Centre for Chronic Disease Control has Screened 1.1 Million Indians for High BP

27th June 2024  New Delhi, Delhi, India The Centre for Chronic Disease Control (CCDC) has successfully screened over 1.1 million individuals for high Blood Pressure (BP) as part of the May Measurement Month (MMM) initiative that was launched in 2017. CCDC is the official Indian partner for MMM, the largest global initiative to promote regular BP measurement. More than 100 countries participated in this campaign, which has screened over 6 million individuals thus far. Nearly 63% of deaths in India are due to non-communicable diseases, with 27% attributed to cardiovascular disease (CVD). High blood pressure is a key risk factor for CVDs. Through MMM and other year-round initiatives, CCDC strives to inform and empower the public to manage and prevent this chronic condition.

On World Hypertension Day (May 17), CCDC partnered with IAPEN India and organized health camps and numerous lectures and training sessions for volunteers across different cities in NCR, Maharashtra, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Odisha. While the health camps focused on raising awareness and regular monitoring, the lecture series informed participants about the risks of hypertension and managing high BP through healthy diet and lifestyle changes. CCDC was supported by 471 volunteers from medical colleges, hospitals, and various institutions across India.

Speaking on MMM, Prof. D. Prabhakaran, Executive Director, CCDC, stated, “Managing high blood pressure is crucial to preventing heart attacks and strokes. Over seven editions of the MMM campaign, CCDC is proud to have conducted more than 1.1 million screenings nationwide. By reaching individuals nationwide, we are committed to promoting heart health and reducing the burden of cardiovascular diseases in our communities.”

May Measurement Month (MMM), launched by the International Society of Hypertension, encourages people aged 18+ to regularly check their BP and understand how it affects their health. MMM offers diet and lifestyle advice for those with high BP and helps improve follow-up care. By using data on untreated hypertension, MMM urges governments across the world to enhance BP screening facilities and reduce the global burden of disease and death caused by elevated BP.