Bangladesh urgently needs effective programmes and sustainable financing to tackle the growing prevalence of hypertension and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among young people, speakers said at a webinar on Tuesday.

They made the remarks at a webinar titled ‘Hypertension Risk Among Youth and the Way Forward: Bangladesh Perspective’, organised by research and advocacy organisation PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) to mark International Youth Day 2026.

Supported by the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), the event was co-organised by several youth networks, including the Bangladesh Medical Students’ Society, Platform Doctors Foundation, It’s Humanity Foundation and Give Bangladesh.

International Youth Day will be observed on Wednesday, August 12, under the theme ‘Different Contexts, Common Aspirations’.

Hypertension emerging as major health threat

Speakers said NCDs, including hypertension risk, account for 71% of all deaths in Bangladesh, with 19% of those deaths occurring prematurely.

According to the Health and Morbidity Status Survey 2025 conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), hypertension ranks first among the country’s top 10 diseases.

Data from the Bangladesh NCD STEPS Survey 2018 show that around 12% of people aged between 18 and 39 have hypertension.

Speakers warned that without immediate and effective interventions, the burden of hypertension and other NCDs among young people could worsen significantly.

Professor Dr Sohel Reza Choudhury, head of the Department of Epidemiology and Research at the National Heart Foundation Hospital & Research Institute, stressed the importance of sustainable financing.

“Sustainable financing is essential to ensure a regular supply of medicines at all primary-level healthcare facilities and reduce premature deaths caused by hypertension,” he said.

He described investment in hypertension prevention and treatment as one of the most worthwhile investments in building a healthy young generation.

Evidence-based prevention needed

Dr Malay Kanti Mridha, professor at BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, said hypertension risk could be effectively controlled through evidence-based treatment and preventive measures.

“The condition can be effectively controlled through evidence-based curative and preventive measures,” he said.

Muhammad Ruhul Quddus, Bangladesh country lead at GHAI, welcomed the increase in the health budget and called for greater investment in NCD control.

“The increase in the health budget is a very positive step. A significant portion of the increased allocation should be spent on addressing hypertension and other non-communicable diseases,” he said.

Media has key role in NCD prevention

Mohammad Al Amin, vice-president of the Bangladesh Health Reporters Forum (BHRF) and deputy editor of Daily Sun, said the media could play an important role in keeping NCDs high on the government’s policy agenda.

“The media can play a significant role in ensuring that the government prioritises NCD control in the allocation and use of the health budget,” he said.

Aminul Islam Sujan, consultant at Vital Strategies, also took part in the webinar as a discussant.

The webinar was chaired by ABM Zubair, executive director of PROGGA, and moderated by Samiha Bintay Kamal, programme officer at PROGGA.

Representatives of youth organisations and people from a range of professional backgrounds from different parts of Bangladesh participated in the webinar.