Monday 25 March 2013

World Health Day 2013


World Health Day is celebrated on the 7th April to mark the anniversary of the founding of WHO in 1948. Each year a theme is selected for World Health Day that highlights a priority area of public health concern in the world. 

The theme for 2013 is High Blood Pressure. For more information about the World Health Day visit
http://www.who.int/world-health-day/en/index.html 

About high blood pressure
High blood pressure – also known as raised blood pressure or hypertension – increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure. If left uncontrolled, high blood pressure can also cause blindness, irregularities of the heartbeat and heart failure. The risk of developing these complications is higher in the presence of other cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes. One in three adults worldwide has high blood pressure. The proportion increases with age, from 1 in 10 people in their 20s and 30s to 5 in 10 people in their 50s. Prevalence of high blood pressure is highest in some low-income countries in Africa, with over 40% of adults in many African countries thought to be affected.
However, high blood pressure is both preventable and treatable. For more information on blood pressure treatment and prevention read…… http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/blood-pressure/HI00043 
If you are being treated for high blood pressure it is recommended that you wear a MedicAlert© Bracelet and that you make sure you have listed all the medicines that you use to treat your condition. You can contact the MedicAlert© Consultants at the office on 0861112979 to update and renew your membership. In addition you can buy more products online, visit www.medicalert.co.za
World Haemophilia Awareness Day is on 17th April, and according to the South African Haemophilia Foundation ( http://www.haemophilia.org.za/about.html ) haemophilia is  an inherited lifelong bleeding disorder, affecting mostly males with females being carriers. You can read more about the disorder on http://www.haemophilia.org.za/about.html
Being a Member of MedicAlert© Foundation of South Africa provides people living with haemophilia the opportunity to live their life to the fullest.
Many of our members will make use of the long weekends to travel and to visit their families, but before you travel please make sure that your information is updated with the MedicAlert© Consultants who are waiting for your call. Please phone 086 1112979 or email info@medicalert.co.za.