In News:India registers success with BP treatment and control
The India Hypertension Control Initiative, started in 2018, has been successful in treating and controlling hypertension
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death among adults in India.
One of the major drivers of heart attack and stroke is untreated high blood pressure or hypertension.
India has more than 200 million people with hypertension, and only 14.5% of individuals with hypertension are on treatment
India Hypertension Control Initiative (IHCI)
India Hypertension Control Initiative (IHCI) is a multi-partner initiative involving the Indian Council of Medical Research, WHO-India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and State governments to improve blood pressure control for people with hypertension.
The project initiated in 26 districts in 2018 has expanded to more than 100 districts by 2022.
More than two million patients were started on treatment and tracked to see whether they achieved BP control.
The project demonstrated that blood pressure treatment and control are feasible in primary care settings in diverse health systems across various States in India.
Before IHCI, many patients travelled to higher-level facilities such as community health centres (block level) or district hospitals in the public sector for hypertension treatment.
Over three years, all levels of health staff at the primary health centres and health wellness centres were trained to provide treatment and follow-up services for hypertension.
