In partnership with NCD Alliance and the International Diabetes Federation, we have developed a new policy brief calling for simultaneous action on diabetes and hypertension. Co-morbidities amplify existing societal inequalities at both global and national levels. Policymakers need to ensure the timely diagnosis and treatment of diabetes and hypertension, before costly and difficult to manage co-morbidities cause further difficulties.

The Cardiac Surgery Intersociety Alliance, an international alliance consisting of representatives from major cardiothoracic surgical societies and the World Heart Federation, has announced its first pilot sites for increased surgical capacity for rheumatic heart disease, which continues to affect more than 33 million people worldwide, mostly from low- and middle-income countries.

Heart patients are at higher risk of severe forms of COVID-19. Yet, many have concerns about getting vaccinated.
To respond to the several questions it received from CVD patients, the European Society of Cardiology has released a handy Q&A on COVID-19 vaccines. It pools together recommendations from international authorities and medical societies on topics including whether all heart patients should get the vaccine and whether the vaccine can interfere with heart medication.

The World Health Organization’s new Global Diabetes Compact aims to bring a much-needed boost to efforts to prevent diabetes and bring treatment to all who need it  ̶  100 years after the discovery of insulin. "The need to take urgent action on diabetes is clearer than ever. The Global Diabetes Compact will help to catalyze political commitment for action to increase the accessibility and affordability of life-saving medicines for diabetes and also for its prevention and diagnosis,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Resolve to Save Lives (an initiative of Vital Strategies) have launched a request for proposals on trans fat elimination policy advocacy, aimed at organizations and programmes that can accelerate best-practice trans fat elimination policies in their countries by identifying and implementing effective and rapid advocacy activities with key policy makers and influencers. Applications from countries where best-practice trans fat policies are not yet in effect or passed are encouraged.

Johns Hopkins University has launched an online course on Global Salt Reduction Strategies, designed to help policymakers, advocates, and programme managers in designing, planning, and implementing sodium reduction interventions at scale. Participants will review the scientific basis for sodium reduction and learn about evidence-based, comprehensive salt reduction strategies. The course is completely free of cost and can be completed at your own pace.

The global tobacco industry watchdog STOP has designed REACT services to help counter industry interference in tobacco control policy. Recently STOP added the capacity to support eligible REACT requests with grant funding. Grants are available to civil society organizations that need urgent assistance addressing industry interference for projects up to six months in length.

WHF Member HeartLife Foundation has developed the first patient journey map for Canadians living with and caring for people with heart failure. The goal of this project is to capture real stories, emotions, questions, and lifestyle challenges heart failure patients experience in their care continuum, and to highlight their needs, pain points, and wishes on how care can be improved.

In partnership with the Australian Heart Foundation

Wednesday, 5 May
12:00pm CEST

In partnership with the Pulmonary Vascular Research Institute

Wednesday, 26 May
16:00pm CEST

WHF has launched a new series of advocacy capacity-building workshops for our Members in the Africa region. This initiative was developed in line with Objective 3 of our Strategy for 2021-23: to mobilize and strengthen the capacity of WHF Members to complement, support and add value to national policies towards the reduction of CVD premature mortality by 33% by 2030.

World Hypertension Day is observed every 17 May in order to raise awareness and promote hypertension prevention, detection and control. This year's theme is "Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer", focusing on combatting low awareness rates worldwide, especially in low- to middle-income areas, and accurate blood pressure measurement methods.

Observed every year on 31 May, World No Tobacco Day informs the public on the dangers of using tobacco, the business practices of tobacco companies, what WHO is doing to fight the tobacco epidemic, and what people around the world can do to claim their right to health and healthy living and to protect future generations.