Every year, September 29 world celebrates World Heart Day.
Created by the World Heart Federation, World Heart Day informs people around the globe that CVD, including heart disease and stroke, is the world’s leading cause of death claiming 17.9 million lives each year, and highlights the actions that individuals can take to prevent and control CVD.
In 1999 the World Heart Federation (WHF), in conjunction with the World Health Organization (WHO), announced the establishment of World Heart Day.
The idea for this annual event was conceived by Antoni Bayés de Luna, president of WHF from 1997–99. The day has been celebrated since 1999 by the World Heart Federation and the World Health Organization.
The tagline for World Health Day 2020 is “Support nurses and midwives.”
This day is also being celebrated in Nepal with various programs.
Due to changing lifestyles and unhealthy diets, heart disease is becoming a challenge for developing nations. Among the non-communicable diseases in Nepal, heart disease, which is becoming more and more complex, has emerged as the main cause of heart disease in people’s activities, lifestyle and diet.
WHO estimates that the number of deaths from heart disease worldwide will reach 25 million annually by 2030.
Similarly, the number of deaths due to heart attack in developing countries including Nepal is estimated to reach more than 35 per cent. According to government figures, 25 per cent of Nepal’s population, or about 7.5 million people, suffer from heart disease.
Doctors have been saying that the number of heart patients in Nepal has increased five times in the last 10 years.
Before that, heart related problems were seen only after reaching 50 years of age, but now heart related problems are seen at a young age.
Meanwhile, according to the report, the first ever State of the World’s Nursing Report 2020 is also being launching to mark the day.
