Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni on Sunday said the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh has played a unique role in raising public awareness on heart disease across the country.
He made the remarks while addressing a seminar marking World Hypertension Day.
“No other institution has been able to reach the masses in heart disease awareness the way the Heart Foundation has done,” he said.
The seminar was held under the theme “Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer”.
It focused on the prevention and control of high blood pressure, often described as a silent killer.
Speaking as 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.
He stressed the need for awareness and healthy lifestyle practices to protect heart health.
“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, Moni said he had a long association 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.
He urged people to adopt healthy eating habits and regular physical exercise to prevent heart disease.
“It is very important to be selective about food. People should reduce oil and salt intake. At the same time, everyone should engage in regular physical exercise. A healthy lifestyle can play a significant role in preventing heart disease,” he said.
The Chief Whip also raised concern over excessive use of pesticides, chemical fertilisers and hybrid food products, saying these pose serious threats to public health.
Referring to child health, he said alarming cases of severe kidney complications are now being detected among children aged 10 to 15 years.
He also criticised food adulteration and the 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 for heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.
Every year, World Hypertension Day is observed on 17 May, initiated by the World Hypertension League and the International Society of Hypertension, to promote awareness, prevention, treatment and control of hypertension.
The National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh marked the day with various programmes.
The seminar was chaired by Khandaker Abdul Awal (Rizvi), while Professor Sohel Reza Choudhury presented the keynote paper.
