On the morning of October 8, the “Publicity Campaign on the National Hypertension Day 2008 of Beijing” was launched at Lian Hua Chi Park by Beijing Municipal Health Bureau, Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission, and Hypertension Prevention and Treatment Association of Beijing. Medical personnel from 12 hospitals set up 62 blood pressure measurement stations throughout the park to provide free services for participating citizens and teach them measurement methods face to face. Prestigious experts and professors from Fu Wai Hospital, An Zhen Hospital, Temple of Heaven Hospital, and People’s Hospital conducted free consultation and diagnosis concerning hypertension in the park. Besides the activities at Lian Hua Chi Park, Fengtai district also initiated activities of the same theme at 23 community service centers.

Currently, hypertension has become the biggest threat to the health of Chinese urban citizens. Complications such as stroke, heart disease and nephropathy caused by hypertension severely harm people’s health and are regarded as major public health problems. Beijing is one of the places where hypertension is rampant, with a high prevalence of 25%-30% among urban and rural residents. However, the rates of awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in China are significantly low, indicating a huge task of preventing and treating this disease. To disseminate knowledge about hypertension and mobilize the entire society to participate in disease prevention and treatment, the Ministry of Health selected October 8 as the National Hypertension Day in 1998. The theme for Hypertension Day 2008 is “Measuring your blood pressure in the community or at home”, which appeals to the public to be aware of their blood pressure and encourages patients to measure their blood pressure at home or in the community.

According to sources, the publicity campaign this time will last till the end of October. Fengtai is going to hold activities at 23 community health service centers and 160 elementary and high schools to promote self-measurement of blood pressure. These activities will boost citizens’ enthusiasm for the control of hypertension and thus better prevent cardio-cerebrovascular diseases as well as stimulate the prevention and control of hypertension throughout the whole city.