A recent pan American Health Organization (PAHO) study has found significant barriers to accessing essential hypertension medications across the Caribbean and Latin America.
The study, published in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice, highlights issues such as outdated essential medicines lists and fragmented procurement practices.
Covering 22 countries in the HEARTS initiative, the study emphasizes the need for standardizing treatment protocols and improving access to essential medications to manage hypertension and reduce cardiovascular risk.
Hypertension affects 35.4% of adults aged 30-79 in the region, yet it remains inadequately managed, PAHO said. The organization noted that 37% of hypertensive individuals are undiagnosed, 15% of those diagnosed do not receive treatment, and 47% of those treated do not have controlled blood pressure.
PAHO recommends updating essential medicines lists, improving procurement practices, increasing transparency, and enhancing market access.
Source: St. Lucia Times
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