Addis Ababa – Ethiopia has launched a plan to improve the treatment of heart ailments and other non-communicable diseases, such as stroke, hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases in collaboration with a drug-manufacturing firm.
Ethiopia’s Health Minister, Kesetebirhan Admasu, said on Thursday that his ministry was working in partnership with Astra Zeneca to improve the provision of care and treatment to heart-disease patients.
“Ethiopia has made great strides in its fight against communicable diseases and are now using our lessons and investment to extend the programme,” Kesetebirhan said after signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Astra Zeneca.
The agreement was for the ministry of health to partner with the drug-manufacturing company in the extension of the healthcare programme.
The healthcare extension was part of Ethiopia’s national strategic action plan for non-communicable diseases.
The plan aimed to reduce the growing burden of hypertension, a common ailment now referred to as the “silent killer” more prevalent among the middle class across the world.
The highest burden of the high-blood pressure is in Africa, which is currently believed to affect at least 46 per cent of the adults, leading to 25 per cent of deaths among young adults, according to Astra Zeneca.
Ethiopia would undertake healthcare projects, including informing the local community in the capital, Addis Ababa, and Dire Dawa, about the risks posed by the heart diseases.
The government and the pharmaceutical firm, Astra Zeneca, would also provide training to healthcare workers on the handling of cases related to heart disease and other cardiovascular ailments.
Terek Rabah, Vice President for Africa at Astra Zeneca, said the programme would ensure access and availability of low-cost heart disease treatment to high-blood pressure patients. (PANA/NAN)
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