February may be all about taking care of matters of the heart and feeling love in the air all around us.
But as much as the holiday celebrates romance and the special people in our lives, it also calls on us to save our hearts, quite literally.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority’s 2021 report, heart disease is identified as the top cause of mortality in the country, taking up 18.7 percent of the past year’s total deaths.
This has prompted the Heart Failure Society of the Philippines (HFSP), supported by AstraZeneca Philippines, to launch the Act Now for Heart Failure program.
The program is a step toward improving the care patients receive from their physicians and encourages support from the community by enhancing expertise on management, focusing on symptom improvement, inspiring better quality of life, and driving awareness through data generation.
“We’re working toward creating a network of credible partners among physicians and cardiologists committed to giving Heart Failure patients the support they need to live more quality lives. Through this program, the entire HFSP team will work towards this goal together with our partners for heart failure patients all over the country,” said Dr. May Donato-Tan, president of HFSP.
“This Valentine’s season, it’s important to truly keep the love alive by taking care of our hearts, and helping others take care of their hearts, too. Beyond showering loved ones with romance and gifts, we encourage everyone to join this national movement to make sure every failing heart stays beating,” she added.
“AstraZeneca fully supports the Heart Failure Society of the Philippines in its commitment to save more heartbeats this Valentine’s season with this national initiative towards better healthcare for Filipinos suffering with heart failure,” added Lotis Ramin, country president of AstraZeneca Philippines.
