Global Hearts, a new initiative from the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners launched on the margins of the 71st UN General Assembly, aims to beat back the global threat of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes - the world’s leading cause of death. The Global Hearts initiative comprises three technical packages: a new set of evidence-backed policy options and examples to support governments to lower people’s salt consumption, a technical package to reduce cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol, and a set of six practical, affordable and achievable measures to help countries implement specific provisions of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, the WHO website reported. The initiative will be initially rolled out in Barbados, Colombia, Ethiopia, India, Iran, Jordan, Nepal, Nigeria, Philippines, Tajikistan, Thailand and Uganda – and will be open to all countries wishing to participate.
