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{
    "id": 1147446,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1147446/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 71,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Musuruve",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13188,
        "legal_name": "Getrude Musuruve Inimah",
        "slug": "getrude-musuruve-inimah"
    },
    "content": "and societies around the world. The theme for this year’s World Hypertension Day is “Measure your blood pressure accurately, control it, live longer”. In many parts of the world, millions and millions of people around the globe have died as a result of blood pressure and its related consequences. High blood pressure is often called the silent killer. This is because most of the time, it has no obvious symptoms to indicate something is wrong. Mr. Temporary Speaker, high blood pressure is classified into four categories; the normal, pre-hypertension that is mild, stage one, moderate and stage two severe. Hisatomi Arima et al. in his 2011 research on Mortality Patterns in Hypertension, stated that raised blood pressure is responsible for 7.6 million deaths per annum worldwide, more than any other risk factors. Around 54 per cent of stroke and 47 per cent of coronary heart diseases are attributed to high blood pressure. Further, adding that, over 80 per cent of this burden occurs in low and middle income countries. Blood pressure related diseases also contribute to cardio vascular death among people below the hypertensive threshold of 140/90 mmhg. As we commemorate this day, awareness on blood pressure is important because it is one of the vital signs used to check how well your body is. Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury, that is the mmhg. The reading has two numbers; the first number is the systolic blood pressure which is the pressure in your arteries when you heart beats. The second one is the diastolic pressure which is the pressure when you heart rests between beats. Normal pressure should be 120/80 mmhg. Although there may be spikes throughout the day based on your activities. High blood pressure is usually managed by lifestyle changes, and if necessary, medications. High blood pressure can quietly damage the body for years before symptoms develop. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to disability or poor quality of life or even a deadly heart attack or stroke. Many Kenyans high and mighty, low and humble have died as a result of high blood pressure and related causes. As we mark this day, I would like to call upon the national Government, in conjunction with the county governments, to take up the responsibility of- (i) Creating awareness on the causes of high blood pressure; (ii) Availing free blood pressure checkups in all county hospitals; Availing free medical awareness on how to prevent high blood pressure; and, (iii)Ensuring that every Kenyan has the highest attainable standards of health. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I thank you for this opportunity and wish you all a happy belated World Hypertension Day."
}