As Zambia commemorates May Measurement Month 2026, a global campaign led by the International Society of Hypertension, stakeholders have intensified calls for increased awareness and action against hypertension.
The campaign encourages citizens to know their blood pressure levels, highlighting the condition as a silent killer and a leading risk factor for heart disease, stroke and kidney failure.
Health experts warn that many cases remain undiagnosed, contributing to preventable deaths across the country.
Concerns have also been raised over the growing link between hypertension and tobacco use, with evidence showing that both active and passive smoking significantly increase blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Hypertension patient Branda Chitindi has called on President Hakainde Hichilema to assent to the Tobacco Control Bill recently passed by Parliament.
“The solution is on your table your excellence, Parliament has massively adopted the tobacco control bill, I am a hypertension patient and I appeal to you Mr, president Hakainde Hichilema to sign the tobacco control bill into law this month this May” She appealed.
“If you sign this control bill, we will Cut hypertension by reducing tobacco use and exposure especially for youth and children, save lives from strokes and heart attacks that are devastating families silently in Zambia, protect the poor where tobacco’s harm and weak health services collide in the primary health care setup and honour Zambia’s global commitment to fight non communicable diseases”. She outlined.
