Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in Mongolia. It accounts for over 40% of deaths every year, and more than a quarter of the population suffers from hypertension.
The control rate of hypertension is just 7.4% in Mongolia, compared to 66% in Canada. Patients often face barriers to accessing and following treatment due to the cost of care for a long-term condition.
The factors contributing to the challenge of hypertension in the Mongolian capital city of Ulaanbaatar are systemic and cannot be tackled by one organization alone. By working with in collaboration with the local government and partners beyond health, greater awareness, diagnosis, treatment and control of hypertension can be achieved.
Better Hearts Better Cities is a Novartis Foundation initiative which seeks to improve cardiovascular health in low-income urban communities by adopting a multisector, multidisciplinary approach to improve the control of hypertension as a key risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
