AstraZeneca’s (www.AstraZeneca.com) flagship health equity programme – Healthy Heart Africa (HHA), marked its 10th anniversary, celebrating successfully taking over 67 million blood pressure screenings and a decade of action against non-communicable diseases across Africa.
Hypertension is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and accounts for a significant portion of noncommunicable disease (NCD) deaths globally. In Africa, over 27% of adults live with hypertension[1], far above the global average.
Ruud Dobber, Executive Vice President and President, BioPharmaceuticals Business Unit, AstraZeneca, said: “Healthy Heart Africa epitomises AstraZeneca’s commitment to equitable healthcare. In a decade, we’ve empowered millions to manage their heart health. Now, we’ve expanded to tackle chronic kidney disease, ensuring greater resilience in health systems across the continent.”
The programme has started addressing chronic kidney disease (CKD), which is closely linked to hypertension and affects 15.8% of Africans.[2] Early detection and management are critical, as CKD often progress silently. HHA aims to improve access to timely diagnosis and treatment, reducing the burden of this disease across communities.
This commemoration sets the stage for the upcoming World Health Organization’s High-Level Meeting on NCDs[3], reinforcing the urgency of collective action. One facet of the programme’s success is built on strong partnerships with governments, NGOs, and community leaders to deliver culturally tailored interventions.
Helen McGuire, Global Program Leader, PATH, said “Working on the Healthy Heart Africa (HHA) programme with AstraZeneca has been truly transformative. Seeing the scale-up and institutionalisation of integrated and expanded NCD services, particularly in countries like Ghana, has been immensely rewarding. The introduction of NCD indicators into national health information systems represents a major milestone, enabling better planning, resource allocation, and outcome monitoring.”
Ministries of Health across Africa have championed HHA’s integration of hypertension care into national policies, ensuring sustainability and local ownership.
Permanent Secretary Uganda Ministry of Health, Dr Diana Atwine Kanzira, said “In Uganda, our partnership with Healthy Heart Africa has been instrumental in strengthening our response to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), now a major health challenge across Africa. Through this collaboration, we have raised awareness on risk factors, enhanced early detection, linked patients to care, and built the capacity of healthcare workers. By integrating hypertension data into our national health system and advancing digitalization, we are ensuring a seamless patient pathway, enabling progress tracking, and delivering life-saving care to our people.”
With its proven model – the Healthy Heart Africa programme aims to expand to new regions, integrating climate-resilient healthcare solutions and prioritising early detection to prevent disease progression. Through such innovative partnerships, the programme aims to deliver care to those most in need.
To read more about this programme, please read the Impact Report here Link (https://apo-opa.co/3QpqSJf).
More about Path
PATH is an international non-governmental organisation dedicated to improving health outcomes for vulnerable populations worldwide. Through innovation, partnerships, and a commitment to equity, PATH tackles pressing global health challenges, including non-communicable diseases, maternal and child health, and infectious diseases. Learn more at www.Path.org.
AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/Nasdaq: AZN) is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialisation of prescription medicines in Oncology, Rare Diseases, and BioPharmaceuticals, including Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory & Immunology. Based in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries, and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide.
