From Bridgetown to Accra - Hypertension as a Threat to the Diaspora: Lessons from COVID-19

Abstract

This presentation will set the scene of hypertension, or high blood pressure, as a consistent and escalating public health concern for people of African descent. This will unfold under a lens of the post pandemic effect of COVID19. Although the disease burden of hypertension, and its deadly outcomes – heart attacks and strokes – will be described, a much closer examination of indigenous measures to address the problem will be explored. These include innovations to improve access to care, such as telehealth and remote blood pressure monitoring, as well as leveraging the geopolitical power to ensure that evidence-based drugs are available to treat people living with high blood pressure. Finally, the presenter will suggest a whole-of society-response to the existential threat uncontrolled blood pressure poses to many low-to-middle income countries – especially in the diaspora.