The Executive Director of the Uganda Heart Institute, Dr. John Omagino, has said Uganda is set join the rest of the World to commemorate World Heart Day, geared at raising awareness about heart disease and helping the public have heart healthy lifestyles.
Cardiovascular disease which includes heart disease and stroke is responsible for 17.3 million premature deaths and this is expected to rise by 2030 to 23 million. Currently in Uganda, every 1 in 4 adults has high blood pressure.
Under the theme ‘My Heart, Your Heart’, the day’s activities will take place on October 4, 2019, at the Busoga square in Jinja District. These activities will include an awareness heart walk, aerobics. The theme according to Dr. Omongin calls to action to make your heart promise to cook and eat more healthily and doing more exercise.
He urged parents to encourage their children to be more active, say no to smoking and continue working to reduce the impact of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) and save more lives.
“Together we have power to reduce the burden of, and premature deaths from cardiovascular disease, helping people everywhere to live longer, better, heart-healthy lives. We therefore ask you to Make your heart promise, to eat more healthily, do exercises.” He said
He said Ugandans spent about $20 million on just travel abroad on heart-related treatment however this can be prevent through excessive exercise, aerobics and eating health food.
