With over 1.4 billion people globally living with hypertension in 2024, just over one in five have it under control through medication or addressing modifiable health risks.
The World Health Organization (WHO) second global hypertension report, released during the 80th United Nations General Assembly, also revealed that only 28 percent of low-income countries report that recommended hypertension medicines are generally available in pharmacies or primary care facilities.
In a press release by WHO from 2011 to 2025, cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, are projected to cost low- and middle-income countries approximately USD 3.7 trillion, equivalent to around 2 percent of their combined GDP.
According to WHO, blood pressure medication is one of the most cost-effective public health tools, yet only 7 out of 25 (28 percent) of low-income countries report general availability of all WHO-recommended medicines, compared to 93 percent of high-income countries
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said that every hour, over 1 000 lives are lost to strokes and heart attacks from high blood pressure and most of these deaths are preventable.
“Countries have the tools to change this narrative. With political will, ongoing investment, and reforms to embed hypertension control in health services, we can save millions and ensure universal health coverage for all,” he added.
Kenya government efforts prioritize hypertension as a major non-communicable disease (NCD), but challenges remain in accessibility to care and resources for widespread screening and treatment, particularly in rural areas, and according to statistics, approximately 25 percent of Kenyan adults have hypertension.
Dr. Kelly Henning, who leads the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Health Program, said that uncontrolled high blood pressure claims more than 10 million lives every year, despite being both preventable and treatable.
However, he added that countries that integrate hypertension care into universal health coverage and primary care are making real progress, but too many low- and middle-income countries are still left behind.
“Strong policies that raise awareness and expand access to treatment are critical to reducing cardiovascular disease and preventable deaths,” Dr. Henning said.
Analysis of data from 195 countries and territories shows that 99 of them have national hypertension control rates below 20 percent and that the majority of the affected people live in low- and middle-income countries, where health systems face resource constraints.
The report highlights major gaps in hypertension prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term care and names key barriers, including weak health promotion policies on risk factors such as alcohol, tobacco use, physical inactivity, salt, and trans fats; limited access to validated blood pressure devices; and lack of standardized treatment protocols.
Other gaps are a lack of trained primary care teams, unreliable supply chains and costly medicines, inadequate financial protection for patients and insufficient information systems to monitor trends.
The report explores the barriers and strategies for improving access to hypertension medication through better regulatory systems, pricing and reimbursement, procurement and supply chain management and improved prescribing and dispensing of these medicines.
Dr. Tom Frieden, President and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, said that safe, effective, low-cost medicines to control blood pressure exist, but far too many people can’t get them.
“Closing that gap will save lives and save billions of dollars every year,” he said.
WHO has called on all countries to embed hypertension control in UHC reforms, noting that implementing the measures recommended in the report could prevent millions of premature deaths and ease the massive social and economic toll of uncontrolled high blood pressure.
By Wangari Ndirangu
