News

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating physical, mental and fiscal impact on the millions of people living with circulatory health conditions.

In addition to older age, people living with CVD, stroke, obesity, diabetes, kidney disease, and hypertension are at a particularly greater risk for severe forms of COVID-19 and its consequences.

As such, the Global Coalition for Circulatory Health – the chief representatives of the global circulatory health community and patients – recommends the following measures:

1. Preparedness

Include indicators on circulatory disease prevalence, comorbidities, and risk factors into measures of pandemic readiness, resilience, and response. Increase investment and develop targeted policies to tackle NCD risk factors, including the social and commercial determinants of health, using revenues from fiscal policies (i.e., taxation of unhealthy commodities, such alcohol and tobacco products).
Support and integrate the use of effective new models to deliver quality health services, especially telemedicine and initiatives to support self-care and self-empowerment.

2. Response

Prevent, screen, and treat for circulatory conditions through national COVID-19 response and recovery plans via concerted patient co-creation and collaboration. Provide easy priority access to vaccination and other disease prevention methods for those with underlying circulatory risk factors.

3. Recovery

Ensure people living with circulatory conditions and in low-resource settings have good and equitable access to essential health services, including medicines, supplies and associated devices, through Primary Health Care.