The 2024 World Heart Day commemoration ceremony took place at Nay Pyi Taw yesterday.

At the event, Union Minis­ter for Health Dr Thet Khaing Win said 20.5 million people die from cardiovascular dis­ease every year, and 85 per cent of deaths are due to heart failure, sudden cardiac arrest or stroke, according to the data of the World Heart Fed­eration. The ministry drafts the National Strategic Plan for Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Disease (2023-2027), aiming to reduce the death rate due to heart disease and other noncommu­nicable diseases.

He continued that this year’s theme is “Use Heart for Action”, and all should take care of one’s health with their own consideration, and the policymakers should pri­oritize the prevention and con­trol of cardiovascular disease. The ministry also establishes clinics every Wednesday in rural areas for patients with diabetes and hypertension. Moreover, the ministry pro­vides basic medicine and med­ical supplies using millions of funds.

Then, the video clip mark­ing 2024 World Heart Day was played, and the director-gener­al of the Public Health Depart­ment and project managers of the Control of Cardiovascular Disease project and diabetes control project presented handbooks for heart disease and cardiovascular disease to the Union minister.

At noon, central-level capacity-building training for heart disease and cardio­vascular disease control was launched, marking World Heart Day. — MNA/KTZH