Photo : BSS

KHULNA, Nov 27, 2025 (BSS) - Speakers at a divisional coordination meeting underscored the need to strengthen grassroots awareness and ensure consistent treatment services to curb hypertension, one of the leading non-communicable diseases responsible for heart disease, stroke, kidney complications and premature death.

They also called for fully operational one-stop services at the Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) corners of upazila health complexes to improve patient access and management.

The meeting, held at the Khulna Civil Surgeon's Office on Wednesday, was chaired by Khulna Divisional Director (Health) Dr Md Mujibur Rahman.

Organized with the support of the Non-Communicable Disease Control Program of the Directorate General of Health Services, the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh and Resolve to Save Lives, the event brought together senior health officials and program leaders.

Divisional Program Officer of the Bangladesh Hypertension Control Initiative Dr Shouvik Roy presented the key findings and progress updates.

Under the initiative, more than 522,000 patients at 310 upazila health complexes in 44 districts have so far received free treatment and medicines, with an average of 56 percent achieving controlled blood pressure.

In the Khulna division, over 18,000 patients have received hypertension treatment through NCD corners across 18 upazila health complexes in five districts, with nearly 50 percent recording controlled blood pressure.

The meeting ended with a set of decisions aimed at accelerating future activities under the Bangladesh Hypertension Control Initiative.

Former Director of Osmani Medical College Hospital Brigadier (Retd) Dr Mahbubur Rahman Bhuiyan, Additional Director of the Bangladesh Hypertension Control Initiative Program Dr Mahfuzur Rahman Bhuiyan, Assistant Director (Disease Control) Dr Aparna Biswas, MIS Chief Assistant Md Zubayer Hossain, and Civil Surgeons from Khulna, Bagerhat, Chuadanga, Magura, Meherpur, Narail and Kushtia addressed the meeting.