Chief Whip Md Nurul Islam Moni on Sunday said the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh has played a unique role in raising public awareness about heart disease across the country.
“No other institution has been able to reach the masses on heart disease awareness the way the Heart Foundation has done,” he said while addressing a seminar organised marking World Hypertension Day.
The seminar was held under the theme “Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer”, focusing on the prevention and control of high blood pressure, often described as a silent killer.
Speaking as the chief guest, the Chief Whip said cardiovascular disease remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide.
“A healthy person may suddenly suffer a heart attack while walking. The heart is one of the most important organs of the human body, and it functions under the will of Almighty Allah, beyond human control,” he said.
Moni stressed the importance of maintaining heart health through awareness and healthy lifestyle practices.
“From birth until death, the heart works continuously without rest. Therefore, we must remain conscious about keeping it healthy,” he added.
Recalling the early days of the Heart Foundation, the Chief Whip said he had a long-standing connection with the institution.
“When this hospital first began its journey, there were no buildings here. Medical services were provided while sitting on grass-covered grounds,” he said.
Emphasising preventive healthcare, Moni urged people to adopt healthier eating habits and do regular exercise.
“It is very important to be selective about food. People should reduce their intake of oil and salt. At the same time, everyone should engage in some form of regular physical exercise. A healthy lifestyle can play a significant role in preventing heart disease,” he said.
The Chief Whip also expressed concern over the excessive use of pesticides, chemical fertilisers and hybrid food products, warning that these were posing serious threats to public health.
Referring to child health, he said alarming cases of severe kidney complications are now being detected among children aged between 10 and 15 years.
Moni also criticised food adulteration and the widespread use of harmful chemicals in fish, poultry and vegetables.
“Some dishonest traders are knowingly producing low-quality and harmful food products which even they would not feed to their own children,” he said.
High blood pressure is considered one of the major risk factors behind heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.
Every year, World Hypertension Day is observed on 17 May at the initiative of the World Hypertension League and the International Society of Hypertension to promote awareness, prevention, treatment and control of hypertension among the public and healthcare professionals.
The National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh has undertaken various programmes to mark the day.
The seminar was chaired by Prof Khandaker Abdul Awal (Rizvi), while Professor Sohel Reza Choudhury presented the keynote paper.