"17,000 people die from hypertension in Cameroon"

The heart Foundation organised a campaign on September 30 against cardiovascular diseases across the country on the occasion of 9th edition of the "week of the heart".

According to them, this campaign was worth being conducted because the statistics for cardiovascular diseases are disturbing. In quantified terms, we are witnessing an explosion of about 80% in cases of sudden death which occurs at home.

Eclampsia (pregnancy hypertension) has become the third leading cause of death among pregnant women in Maroua.

In Cameroon, 35% of the adult population suffers from hypertension. The disease and its complications cause 17,000 deaths per year. And cardiovascular accidents (CVAS) are favored among others by the fact that 60% of the female population are affected by obesity, 80% of the adult population consumes and misuses alcohol, 10% of the adult population is affected by diabetes and 20% of Cameroonians have a too high cholesterol.

To reverse the trend of these alarming statistics on stroke, the Cameroonian Heart Foundation encouraged people and workers to get tested to know their status.

In addition, through the program "Dare to save" which took place on 27 September, the public was made aware and informed on the problem and the prevention of sudden death in Cameroon.

Persons, families and workers have been trained in the recognition of the signs of sudden death and resuscitation and cardiac defibrillation.

To that effect, training was organised for resuscitation and cardiac defibrillation for health professionals and the general public in Maroua and a national hypertension course in hospitals in the same locality.