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CARDIOVASCULAR JOURNAL OF AFRICA • Volume 26, No 4, July/August 2015
AFRICA
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of the start of a hypertension strategy.
2
An African hypertension
strategy needs broad input and support, as well as prioritisation
of actions, based on the importance, feasibility and opportunities
for implementing the actions in sub-Saharan Africa.
Learning from and sharing best practices and
experiences
Sub-Saharan Africa is a unique region therefore a sharing of
resources, challenges and learnings between countries within the
region may be particularly important. External experiences and
practices need to be cautiously examined and applied.
As Dr Seedat indicated, expensive technologies and treatment
may aggravate problems by using valuable and limited resources
that could be used to help many versus a few people. Nevertheless
some global experiences, such as the use of task-sharing and
treatment algorithms, provide a promise of enhanced outcomes
at lower cost, and may be adaptable. Hypertension meetings
need to be structured to share best regional experiences in
prevention and control.
Advocacy
Hypertension organisations in general are not in a position to
make decisions that would influence hypertension prevention
and control. Therefore advocacy plays a critical role. Usually
advocacy is more effective aligned with partners who agree to
common goals (e.g. the need for a reliable, affordable supply
of medications). Advocacy needs to be a major part of the
implementation of a hypertension strategy. The recent United
Nations meeting where most countries signed on to improve
control of hypertension by 25% by 2025, and to increase
access to essential medication and technologies, represents an
important advocacy opportunity.
15
Conclusion
The increasing prevalence of hypertension and poor control rates
inAfrica represent a complex problem. Awell-organised, strategic
approach with a broad partnership is the best opportunity
for improvement. As Dr Seedat indicates, complex societal
issues and especially poverty and lack of resources make the
task daunting, but emphasise the importance of partnerships,
strategic approaches and advocacy.
While the solution to hypertension prevention and control
resides within Africa, global hypertension organisations stand
supportive to provide what expertise and knowledge we have.
The World Hypertension League (WHL), while resource poor,
is very interested in working with sub-Saharan African health
organisations. Dr Lemogoum, a board member of the WHL, has
recently opened a regional office of the WHL in Cameroon. At
the end of 2014, the WHL supported academic training sessions
on blood pressure screening, strategic planning for reducing
dietary salt, and strategic planning to control hypertension
at the 7th African Scientific Meeting on Hypertension and
Cardiovascular Protection, sponsored by the International
Forum for Hypertension Control and Prevention in Africa in
Douala, Cameroon.
In 2015, with the assistance of African health organisations
and experts, the WHL led the development of a fact sheet and call
to action, an infogram and a region-specific needs assessment.
The International Society of Hypertension supported and
co-sponsored many of these resources. The WHL is strongly
encouraging national organisations to develop fact sheets and
calls to action and has written a manuscript instructing how to
do so.
16
Furthermore, the WHL has developed a template for
strategic planning.
10
The WHL looks forward to working with
regional sub-Saharan African organisations to prevent and
control hypertension.
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