Use Heart for Action! Make Your Voice Heard for a Global Heart Health Revolution
At The Congenital Heart Disease Foundation of Nigeria (CHDFNigeria), we prioritize cardiovascular (heart) health across all age spectrums. Although we focus on Congenital Heart Defect, CHD, we advocate for every heartbeat, every child, every adult and every life affected by cardiovascular diseases in Nigeria. As we approach World Heart Day 2024, we are proud to join the World Heart Federation in raising the status of CVD as a global emergency and universal priority. It is an established fact that CVD continues to claim millions of lives every year, and this petition is a vital step toward changing that narrative by ensuring everyone, regardless of their background, has access to lifesaving heart care and treatments.
Why This Petition Matters
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain the leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for over 18 million deaths each year. From heart attacks and strokes to heart failure, the global burden of CVD continues to grow, devastating individuals, families, and communities and even our country’s economy.
To the Nigerian CHD community.
Congenital Heart Disease, the most common birth defect globally, adds a huge burden to the cardiovascular health crisis, continuously claiming the lives of innocent children. There is growing concerns about the negligence of children born with CHD in Nigeria, without which we cannot attain the targets of SDG 3. 2 which aim to reduce neonatal and under-5 mortality by year 2030. Recent research shows an alarmingly high incidence of CHD in Nigeria from 18.2 per 1000 live births in 2016 to 81 per 1000 live births in a study carried out by Amaewhule et al., in 2022.
Our CHD community are faced with various challenges including: inadequate screening services both prenatally and postnatally, poor medical infrastructure, high cost of surgery and treatment services, poor medical transport services, poor insurance coverage, meagre number of trained cardiac personnel, huge gap in the ratio of cardiac centres/services to the number of children born annually with CHD. As of 2024, as a country, we cannot boast of 300 cardiac surgery annually when over 5 thousands needs intervention every year. We believe that is no better time than now to lend our voices to CHD warriors and community at large. We are asking you to join us in challenging all health leaders, government officials, stakeholders, policy makers to provide sustainable congenital cardiac services, and reverse the high child mortality rate due to CHD in Nigeria.
By signing and participating in the World Heart Day 2024 petition, we are raising our voices for equitable, inclusive, and improved cardiac care especially for the underserved population and financially disadvantaged in Nigeria. You are challenging the Nigerian government and global community to help us rescue the over 8000 children born with CHD annually in Nigeria.
Our Call to Action
This is a crucial moment in our fight against cardiovascular diseases. We are calling on our supporters, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and communities at large to join us in signing the petition and support our collective goal of advancing heart health for all. By adding your voice, you are supporting three key pillars of the petition:
Increased Awareness
By spreading awareness about heart disease and CHD, we can educate families and individuals on the importance of heart health, early detection, and preventive measures. Awareness saves lives, and this petition is a powerful tool to ensure heart health education reaches every corner of the globe.
Enhanced Funding
Research and healthcare infrastructure are essential to combating heart disease and improving survival rates for those affected by CHD. This petition advocates for more substantial financial investments in heart health research, treatment advancements, and support services to bridge the existing gaps in care.
Policy Change
It’s time for policymakers to take heart health seriously. Through this petition, we urge governments and global institutions to prioritize heart health in their policies, ensuring access to quality healthcare, improving health infrastructure, and creating supportive policies that benefit individuals at risk of heart disease and CHD.
How You Can Make a Difference
Your participation in this petition is not just symbolic—it’s a practical and impactful way to advocate for the lives of millions affected by cardiovascular diseases and congenital heart disease. Here’s how you can contribute:
- Sign the Petition: Your signature matters. By signing the petition, you’re adding your voice to a global call for action on heart health. It takes less than a minute but makes a world of difference. Click here to sign the petition: https://worldheartfederation.org/worldheartday/petition.
- Spread the Word: Share the petition with your family, friends, colleagues, and social media networks. The more people who know about this initiative, the stronger our call to action becomes. Use your platform to inspire others to support this lifesaving cause.
- Stay Engaged: Follow CHDFNigeria’s campaigns, stay informed about our efforts to improve heart health, and engage with our updates. Knowledge is power, and your continued support will help us create a ripple effect of positive change across communities.
Together, We Can Drive Meaningful Change
Your involvement in the World Heart Day 2024 petition goes far beyond adding a name to a list—it’s a personal pledge to advocate for every heart, from the newborn child battling congenital heart disease to the adult fighting cardiovascular disease. It’s a commitment to a future where access to heart care is no longer a privilege, but a universal right.
Together, we can ensure that CHD and cardiovascular health get the attention and resources they urgently need. This is a pivotal movement, and with your support, we can make heart health a global priority for all.
Sign the Petition Today and Be Part of the Heart Health Revolution
For more information and to sign the petition, visit this link – https://worldheartfederation.org/worldheartday/petition.
Join us, take a stand, and make your voice count for heart health.
The Congenital Heart Disease Foundation of Nigeria
……supporting CHD warriors all the way.