A growing hypertension challenge

EDITORIAL: The findings of the recent “Discovering Hypertension Project” should serve as a wake-up call for our public health system.

Screening more than 116,000 individuals across 50 cities, the initiative — a public-interest effort sponsored by a private company — has revealed a troubling reality: hypertension is not only widespread but also dangerously under-diagnosed and poorly controlled.

In a country already struggling with an increasing burden of non-communicable diseases, the scale of this silent epidemic demands urgent national attention.

One of the most alarming findings of the project is that nearly 55 to 60 percent of people living with hypertension are unaware of their condition. This is largely because high blood pressure often develops without obvious symptoms.

Unlike many other illnesses that prompt individuals to seek medical care, hypertension can quietly damage the body for years before manifesting in severe complications such as heart attack, stroke, or kidney failure. By the time symptoms appear, the damage may already be irreversible.

The large number of undiagnosed cases also reflects weaknesses in our healthcare system. Limited access to healthcare facilities, lack of awareness, and the cost of regular check-ups discourage people from monitoring their blood pressure.

Community-based initiatives like the present one, therefore, can play an important role in bridging this gap by bringing screening services directly to the public.

However, the project’s findings reveal another worrying trend: even among individuals who are diagnosed with hypertension, treatment and control rates remain extremely low.

According to the project’s analysis of more than 5,000 cases, only about one quarter of patients taking medication were able to control their blood pressure effectively.

Similarly, those relying solely on lifestyle changes also showed limited success. These results highlight the fact that managing hypertension requires a comprehensive and sustained approach rather than isolated interventions.

Lifestyle factors appear to be at the centre of the problem. High salt consumption, frequent intake of processed foods and sugary beverages, rising obesity levels, and widespread physical inactivity are all major drivers of uncontrolled hypertension.

Rapid urbanisation and changing dietary habits have made unhealthy foods more accessible, while sedentary lifestyles have become increasingly common. Without addressing these underlying behavioural issues, medication alone cannot significantly reduce the incidence of this health condition.

The situation calls for coordinated action from multiple stakeholders. Public awareness campaigns must educate people about the dangers of untreated hypertension and encourage regular blood pressure checks.

Schools, workplaces, and community organisations should promote healthier eating habits and physical activity. At the same time, policymakers need to consider regulatory measures such as limiting excessive salt content in processed foods.

Equally important is the need to strengthen primary healthcare services so that routine screening and early management of hypertension become standard practice.

The data generated by initiatives like the Discovering Hypertension Project provide valuable insight for policymakers and healthcare professionals, helping them design targeted strategies to combat the problem. The challenge for the authorities concerned is to translate these insights into sustained public health action.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026