NCD Implementation Gap: Solutions & Strategies
- The World Health Association's (WHO) Delivery for Impact (DFI) methodology is accelerating progress in global health by scaling proven solutions.
- The HEARTS program, a comprehensive technical package, strengthens cardiovascular disease (CVD) management in primary care.
- India's Hypertension Control Initiative also utilized the WHO HEARTS technical package, scaling up from a few districts in 2018 to 155 districts across 27 states by June 2023,...
The WHO’s innovative Delivery for Impact (DFI) methodology is rapidly improving global health outcomes by scaling proven solutions, specifically through the HEARTS initiative. This strategic approach tackles the NCD implementation gap by leveraging existing strategies, like HEARTS, to revolutionize cardiovascular disease (CVD) management in primary care. Witness how the HEARTS program, a vital element of the Global Hearts Initiative, has reshaped healthcare systems in regions from the Americas to india, substantially increasing treatment for hypertension patients.early hurdles in medicine availability were overcome with WHO collaboration, ensuring consistent supply chains. News Directory 3 shines a light on these advancements. Quarterly reviews and collaborative efforts amplified impact, exceeding targets, and treating over 20 million patients by early 2024. Discover what’s next …
WHO HEARTS initiative Expands Hypertension Treatment globally
Updated June 18, 2025
The World Health Association’s (WHO) Delivery for Impact (DFI) methodology is accelerating progress in global health by scaling proven solutions. rather of reinventing the wheel, the DFI leverages existing strategies, such as the WHO’s HEARTS initiative, to improve healthcare outcomes.
The HEARTS program, a comprehensive technical package, strengthens cardiovascular disease (CVD) management in primary care. It is indeed a key component of the Global Hearts Initiative, which focuses on preventing and managing cardiovascular conditions. The HEARTS in the Americas initiative, for instance, developed adaptable strategies that catalyzed changes within health systems. Cuba, one of the founder countries, implemented HEARTS incrementally, expanding from a single demonstration site in 2016 to national coverage by January 2023, registering over 2 million hypertension patients.
India’s Hypertension Control Initiative also utilized the WHO HEARTS technical package, scaling up from a few districts in 2018 to 155 districts across 27 states by June 2023, enrolling 5.8 million patients. Early challenges included medicine availability.WHO consultants collaborated with the ministry of Health and Family Welfare to improve forecasting, procurement, and supply chains. By 2020, over 70% of healthcare facilities maintained at least a month’s supply of anti-hypertensive medicines.
In early 2023, the WHO identified delivery milestones to boost the impact on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Using hypertension burden and political willingness as criteria, countries including Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and several in the Americas were selected to accelerate HEARTS implementation. The goal was to increase the number of people receiving treatment for hypertension by 50% by the end of 2023. quarterly reviews allowed WHO and Resolve to Save Lives staff to address challenges like gaps in standardized protocols and insufficient supplies. This milestone was exceeded,with treatment reaching 17 million patients by October 2023,up from 7 million. By the end of the first quarter of 2024, over 20 million patients were receiving treatment, demonstrating the effectiveness of the WHO DFI acceleration platform in diverse regions.
What’s next
The WHO plans to further expand the DFI methodology and the HEARTS initiative to address other noncommunicable diseases and improve global health outcomes, focusing on lasting, scalable solutions.