KUWAIT CITY, Sept 29: The World Heart Federation (WHF) is launching a global petition today, urging all countries to implement a ‘National Cardiovascular Action Plan’ to combat heart disease, the world’s number one killer. Improving cardiovascular health requires strategies tailored to the national, regional, and local contexts, and must take the socioeconomic environment and healthcare systems into account, they argue. So far, most countries with standalone National CVD Action Plans or Strategies in place are located in Europe and the Western Pacific Region.

For over two decades, WHF has been leading the World Heart Day movement, celebrated every year on 29 September—raising awareness about CVD and calling for better healthcare policies and increased funding for heart health research. Jean-Luc Eiselé, Chief Executive of the World Heart Federation, stated: “Cardiovascular disease claims more lives than all forms of cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease combined, yet efforts to combat CVD at a national level fall short in nearly every part of the world. We have the knowledge and tools to improve cardiovascular health outcomes and provide everyone with access to appropriate care.

This year, WHF aims to gather over a million signatures for its petition, intending to convey a compelling message to political leaders in anticipation of the United Nations High- Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases in 2025.” Dr. Mohammed Al Jarallah, Chief Medical Officer and Head of the Department of Cardiology at Amiri Hospital, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the urgent need for countries lacking action plans to develop tailored strategies. He noted that the staggering death toll from heart disease, juxtaposed with the lack of proactive measures, calls for an immediate response and commitment.

Marking this year’s World Heart Day with the petition launch, WHF hopes this call to action will inspire a more robust and coordinated response to cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is responsible for more than 20.5 million deaths every year. Dr. Raja Dashti, Senior Consultant Cardiologist at Amiri Hospital, emphasized that a National Cardiovascular Action Plan serves as a strategic mechanism to reduce premature mortality from heart disease and stroke.

Furthermore, it can significantly mitigate healthcare costs and enhance productivity, potentially saving hundreds of billions of dollars globally. Currently, 87% of countries have developed National Cancer Action Plans, highlighting the progress that must be made to improve cardiovascular health. Dr. Rajesh Rajan, Senior Cardiologist at Amiri Hospital, passionately encouraged global participation in the petition, asserting the necessity of action plans to safeguard communities from the world’s foremost health threat. He stated, “Nations must develop tailored plans to protect communities from the world’s biggest killer.” As many as 80% of deaths from heart attacks and strokes are preventable, but early findings by WHF show that as few as 7% of countries have standalone plans or strategies to address CVD. WHF’s efforts to promote awareness and advocate for better healthcare policies have been ongoing for over two decades, with World Heart Day serving as a pivotal platform for these initiatives. As the global health community responds to this clarion call, the imperative for collaborative action against cardiovascular disease has never been more pronounced.

To lend your voice to this crucial cause, sign the first-ever global petition for heart health here: [https://worldheart- federation.org/world-heart-day/ petition/]