Heart Experts Call For Millions To Benefit From Life-Saving Online Services As Telemedicine Rockets
PR91988
GENEVA, Sept. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains world's biggest killer, claiming 18.6
million lives per year
On World Heart Day, 29 September 2021, the World Heart Federation (WHF) is
calling on the international community to bring digital cardiovascular health
services to millions worldwide. COVID-19 has seen an explosion in telemedicine,
with a 40%(1) jump in the world's richest countries. WHF believes this digital
transformation presents a pivotal opportunity for millions living with
cardiovascular disease from lower-income backgrounds who have little access to
in-person consultation.
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1637810/World_Heart.jpg
Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1280905/World_Heart_Federation_Logo.jpg
CVD claims the lives of 18.6 million people per year and the 520 million people
living with CVD have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19.
WHF is calling for equity across healthcare and for the rapid development of
digital care to reduce inequalities by transforming the diagnosis, prevention
and management of CVD in lower- and middle-income settings.
Currently only 20%(2) of the population in lower-income countries is online.
WHF is calling for operators to fund and develop the infrastructure to reach
disconnected hearts everywhere; governments to prioritise digital
infrastructure and heart health in policy; industry to keep prices of tech
affordable; and telecoms service providers to collaborate with them to bring
digital medicine to some of the world's poorest communities across the globe.
"Never before have we seen such a 'techceleration' in cardiology," says Fausto
Pinto, President of the World Heart Federation. "This is a once in a lifetime
opportunity to transform the lives of millions of people who are left behind in
healthcare today. We should use digital health to scale up and speed up
prevention efforts and save lives and millions spent on care."
From online consultations to simple Electrocardiograms (ECGs), blood pressure
monitoring and virtual surgery, the web has opened new possibilities to make
cardiovascular care accessible to millions. As with all rapid digital
transformation, there are challenges. For healthcare, top concerns include data
privacy, technology compatibility and the need for human contact. According to
WHF, co-designing programmes with patients will also be critical.
World Heart Day is supported by leading pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca,
Pfizer and Boehringer Ingelheim and Lilly Alliance.
The general public is encouraged to get involved in World Heart Day by joining
the conversation across social platforms using the hashtags #UseHeart and
#WorldHeartDay.
Notes to Editors
1. Media Contact: Borjana Pervan, Communications Director, World Heart
Federation
Borjana.pervan@worldheart.org
2. Interviews: bios and headshots spokespeople can be found here (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/msfjwr9q840y2d1/AABjkBqNfsM31oo-bM4G0HVma?dl=0 ).
Please contact Aline Bochenek-Benoit, Campaign Manager, World Heart
Federation aline.bochenek-benoit@worldheart.org or +41228070325.
3. Link to images: Dropbox (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/7gzqetazmraj1zf/AADjIIQzPX9GbXEuAQ-zaJ_4a?dl=0 )
4. Sources:
1. McKinsey
2. https://www.undp.org/blogs/evolving-digital-divide
SOURCE World Heart Federation
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