Kingston, Jamaica— The National Health Fund (NHF) will conduct blood pressure screenings for 20,000 people across the island on May 17 in recognition of World Hypertension Day and to commemorate the fund’s 20th anniversary.

The screenings, NHF said, are aimed at helping people to be aware of their blood pressure numbers and focus more attention on hypertension and its impact on well-being.

Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is considered a silent killer that affects millions of people worldwide.

“Knowing your blood pressure is important because hypertension is often called the ‘silent killer’ since it may have no symptoms but can lead to serious health problems such as heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease,” said Everton Anderson, CEO of the NHF.

According to the World Health Organization, hypertension is the leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and over one billion people worldwide have hypertension. Here in Jamaica, hypertension affects approximately 25 per cent of the population. The condition has the highest number of enrolments under the NHFCard Programme, with more than 432,000 people registered.

The NHF said that it is committed to promoting access to quality healthcare for all Jamaicans, and the blood pressure screening initiative is one of the ways in which the organisation is fulfilling its mandate.

“As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, we are proud to continue our tradition of serving the Jamaican people and making a positive impact on their health and well-being,” Anderson said.

Among the many locations where screenings will be done are the Half-Way- Tree Transport Centre, Shoppers Fair Supermarket, Beckford Plaza, Savanna-la-Mar, Sam Sharpe Square in Montego Bay and Cecil Charlton Park in Mandeville.

The NHF is collaborating with the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the Medical Association of Jamaica, non-governmental organisations, and churches to carry out the blood pressure screenings, which will also take place at select Drug Serv pharmacies and clinics island wide.

For more information about the NHF’s blood pressure screenings, please call the Customer Service Centre at 876-906-1106.