AstraZeneca and its partners have trained over 10,600 healthcare workers as part of efforts to boost the sector.
It disclosed this in a statement titled, ‘Healthy Heart Africa’ to mark nine years of impact addressing the burden of hypertension in the Sub-Saharan.’
It also highlighted the relevance of Public Private Partnership to Africa’s development.
The statement said on World Heart Day, AstraZeneca and partners commemorated nine years of impact in the fight against hypertension, helping to decrease the burden of cardiovascular diseases and non-communicable diseases through the Healthy Heart Africa programme.
It stated: “Since its inception in 2014, the programme has conducted over 38.5 million blood pressure screenings; diagnosed over 3.1 million people; trained over 10,600 healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, community health volunteers and pharmacists to provide education and awareness, screening and treatment services; and activated over 1,300 healthcare facilities to provide hypertension services.
“To mark the programme’s nine-year anniversary, AstraZeneca and partners are hosting a webinar to take stock of achievements to date and discuss future strategies to tackle the rising burden of CVDs and NCDs across Africa. The discussion will feature insights on the role of public-private partnerships in supporting primary healthcare, drawing on lessons from the HHA programme.”
Senior Director of Corporate Affairs for the Middle East & Africa Region at AstraZeneca, Qutaiba Al Manaseer, said: “Healthy Heart Africa demonstrates the power of public-private partnerships in delivering sustainable solutions that strengthen the resilience of local health systems. We will continue collaborating with stakeholders to tackle the silent killer that is hypertension and to improve patient outcomes.”
