Prof. Dr. Azra Mahmud charts SACA roadmap for hypertension control at Pulse of Asia 2025

Prof. Dr. Azra Mahmud represents Pakistan and Shalamar at Pulse of Asia 2025 to advance hypertension control in South and Central Asia

BEIJING: Prof. Dr. Azra Mahmud, Head of the Department of Clinical Research at Shalamar Institute of Health Sciences, proudly represented Pakistan at Pulse of Asia 2025, a premier global forum for cardiovascular health held in China. Her participation spotlighted Pakistan’s leadership in the regional fight against hypertension—a leading cause of cardiovascular disease worldwide.

Delivering a powerful lecture titled “Breaking the Silence of the Silent Killer: A SACA Roadmap for Hypertension Control,” Prof. Dr. Azra shared key strategies developed under her leadership as Chair of the South and Central Asia (SACA) Advisory Group of the International Society of Hypertension (ISH).

Her presentation provided a comprehensive blueprint for reducing the burden of hypertension across South and Central Asia, regions that face some of the highest prevalence rates yet suffer from limited data, fragmented screening practices, and poor treatment adherence.

Strategic focus areas in the SACA roadmap

Prof. Dr. Azra’s evidence-backed roadmap emphasized four core areas of action:

• Bridging evidence gaps: Strengthening the generation and use of regional hypertension data to tailor policies and interventions
• Accurate blood pressure measurement: Advocating for validated BP devices and training at all levels of care
• Digital transformation: Leveraging mobile health tools for community education, monitoring, and physician training
• Cross-border collaboration: Promoting regional partnerships in research, surveillance, and policy advocacy

A call for culturally aligned, technology-enabled cardiovascular care

In the heart of China—home to centuries of cardiovascular wisdom—the Pulse of Asia 2025 conference served as a powerful reminder that modern science and traditional knowledge can coexist to address today’s global health crises. Prof. Dr. Azra urged policymakers and health professionals to recognize the urgent need for scalable, culturally informed, and tech-enabled interventions.

“From grassroots education to health system reform, this is a moment for the region to speak in one voice against hypertension,” Dr. Azra stated during her address.

Leadership in action: Pakistan at the global stage

Dr. Azra’s presence at Pulse of Asia 2025 reinforced Pakistan’s commitment to regional public health leadership. By uniting research, advocacy, and practical interventions, she continues to mobilize cross-border action for one of the world’s deadliest yet most preventable health threats.

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Her advocacy at the event further aligns with global NCD (non-communicable disease) targets, reinforcing the importance of early detection, evidence-driven care, and policy reform to control hypertension across low- and middle-income countries.

As the region faces rising health pressures from urbanization, dietary shifts, and aging populations, the roadmap laid out by Prof. Dr. Azra Mahmud offers hope and direction for clinicians, policymakers, and health systems alike.

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