World Heart Federation

On 29 September, VinaCapital Foundation used our #WorldHeartDay Grant to design, print, and distribute heart-health leaflets in the areas of Nghe An and Quang Ngai, Vietnam. The grant also allowed the team to screen about 1,000 children. During these screenings, 7 children were diagnosed with congenital heart disease and were immediately referred from the province to the hospital to receive proper treatment. At WHF, we believe that everyone should have access to the health services they need, when and where they need them. You can help us and our Members reach more children and families by donating here: https://lnkd.in/dt_MmR8P A big thank you to our member in Vietnam for their incredible work connecting with children and families and teaching them about heart health ❤️

The #world’s brightest minds tackling #rheumatic heart disease (#RHD) will assemble in #Perth next year for the second-ever World Heart Federation World Congress on RHD. The Congress will bring together global #researchers, #innovators, #practitioners, #patients, #advocates, and #leaders to explore practical and effective solutions that will help end RHD. Earlier this month we launched the new Future Health Research and Innovation Fund Spotlight Program with the theme of RHD. This will see $25 million invested over the next five years, uniting researchers, health professionals, and communities to tackle this disease. We’re looking forward to welcoming these global leaders and experts to Perth in 2026! Heart Foundation, World Heart Federation, The Kids Research Institute Australia, Department of Health (WA Health), Government of Western Australia , Business Events Perth #bestonEarthinPerth

On 29 September, The One New Heart Tanzania/Foundation USA team used our #WorldHeartDay Grant to screen 500 people in rural communities. The results were eye-opening: 70% of individuals screened were living with hypertension, two children were diagnosed with congenital heart disease, and another with rheumatic heart disease and valve stenosis. With only one specialized heart hospital in Tanzania and limited access to affordable care, many remain untreated. WHF is committed to achieving cardiovascular health for all and supporting initiatives that bring life-saving heart care to underserved communities. Join us in this mission and donate here: https://lnkd.in/dt_MmR8P

We’re excited to partner with the Heart Foundation to bring the 2nd World Congress on RHD to Perth, Western Australia, in 2026! Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) affects over 40 million people worldwide and contributes to nearly 2% of all cardiovascular deaths. It remains a major cause of acquired heart disease in young people, especially in underserved communities. This Congress will bring together researchers, clinicians, policymakers, community advocates, and people living with RHD to share knowledge, drive action, and accelerate solutions to prevent, diagnose, and treat this preventable disease. This is our chance to close gaps in care and take meaningful steps toward a future free from RHD. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/d2B7VsRS #RHDCongress

“I am grateful to be sitting here today. It could have gone the other way. I have to say it's because I pushed and I found a doctor who listened.” Discover how Denise’s persistence led to a life-saving diagnosis. Watch her story and many more in Beats of Change, a series presented by @WHF and produced by BBC StoryWorks: https://lnkd.in/eaQWMv-k Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/djEdMq24 @WomenHeart

Our President-Elect Prof Dorairaj Prabhakaran received the Gopalan Oration Award 2025 during the Annual Conference of the Nutrition Society of India! 👏 This award recognizes his exceptional contributions to global cardiovascular and nutritional health.

WHF at COP11: Strengthening Article 14 with Global Leaders 👉🏻 Today at COP11 in Geneva, the World Heart Federation co-hosted the side event “Turning Commitments into Care: Accelerating Article 14 Implementation,” moderated by our COO Borjana Pervan. 🌎 With leadership from Uruguay, Panama, and Malaysia with intervention from the FCTC Secretariat, WHO and civil society partners, the session underscored the urgent need to scale up tobacco cessation services, integrate them into health systems, and protect public health policies from industry interference.

“It was a big, big shock, and the minute you hear that word “chronic”, it's always frightening as well. If only I'd known sooner, I could have done more to prevent it going as bad as it did.” Seventeen years ago, Lynn was told she had just five years to live due to a heart condition. Discover how early detection, regular testing, and proactive care can help beat the odds. Watch her story and many more in Beats of Change, a series presented by WHF and produced by BBC StoryWorks: https://lnkd.in/eaQWMv-k

The 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (#COP30) continues this week in Brazil. The climate change is a significant threat to cardiovascular health; of 8 million premature deaths caused by air pollution in 2023, half of these resulted from heart disease and stroke. Lower middle-income countries bore the brunt of this crisis, where air quality standards are weaker and the healthcare infrastructure limited. Breathing polluted air raises blood pressure, increases inflammation, accelerates atherosclerosis, and places millions at higher risk of heart attacks and strokes. Increasingly frequent extreme heat events put further strain on the cardiovascular system and can raise mortality up to seven-fold among people already living with heart disease, particularly in vulnerable populations who lack access to preventive medicines and emergency care. World Heart Federation and Instituto Lado a Lado pela Vida have signed an open letter, calling on global leaders and governments to recognize the growing cardiovascular toll of climate change and to embed heart health in every stage of climate action. The economic cost of failing to address the cardiovascular consequences is enormous, especially for low- and middle-income countries. Air pollution–related healthcare expenses amount to $8.1 trillion every year, and the cost of inaction disproportionately impacts vulnerable economies. For many low-income nations, the cost of inaction can exceed the cost of adopting clean air measures by as much as a factor of 25, deepening economic hardship and further straining health systems already struggling to provide adequate care. The impact on our cardiovascular health must not be ignored any longer. We respectfully urge governments to tackle this problem head on by putting cardiovascular health at the heart of climate strategies, taking meaningful action to improve national air quality, strengthen heatwave preparedness, and build resilient and equitable health systems that protect all communities, especially the most vulnerable. Read the full letter here: https://lnkd.in/gvta49Ga #COP30 #HeartHealth #AirPollution #ExtremeHeat