Skip to content

Indonesian government tackles leading killer with new program aimed at reducing heart attacks and strokes

Indonesian government tackles leading killer with new program aimed at reducing heart attacks and strokes

March 29, 2023 (Yogyakarta, Indonesia)—The Association of Indonesia Local Health Offices (ADINKES) today announces a new partnership with global health non-profit, Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL), to prevent millions of premature deaths by improving control of high blood pressure. The new effort, in support of the Indonesia Ministry of Health (MOH), will strengthen high blood pressure treatment at the primary care level and eliminate industrially produced trans fat from the food supply chain.
In Indonesia, where someone dies from heart disease every 60 seconds, two in five adults aged 30–79 have high blood pressure, the leading risk factor for heart disease. High blood pressure can be successfully treated and managed at the primary care level, avoiding expensive hospital procedures, prolonging lives and preventing needless suffering from heart attacks and strokes.
“Building on recent successes to further reduce the burden of heart disease in Indonesia is achievable,” said Prof. dr. Dante Saksono Harbuwono, Deputy Minister, Indonesia Ministry of Health. “We welcome the opportunity to partner with ADINKES and Resolve to Save Lives to improve high blood pressure care and remove toxic substances from our food supply accelerating progress toward healthier families and communities.”
“Managing high blood pressure and preventing heart disease must become a global priority,” said Dr. Renu Garg, Senior Vice President of Cardiovascular Health at Resolve to Save Lives. “We are excited to partner with ADINKES and Ministry of Health and support their effort to bring global best practices in prevention and control of heart disease to the people of Indonesia.”
RTSL and ADINKES will also partner on an initiative to eliminate trans fat from the nation’s food supply. The adoption of best practice policies that are protective against trans fat will launch shortly, protecting Indonesians from this harmful food additive and further reducing risk of heart disease.
“Indonesia already has a very strong primary health care system that is able to provide care close to home and free of charge,” said dr. M. Subuh, Chairman of ADINKES. “Increasing heart health services in primary health care settings is a must-action to be taken forward as our continued commitment to our society. We should aim to meet the global standard for hypertension services throughout the country.”
To learn more about the new program, a video recording of the launch event can be viewed here.
###
About the Association of Indonesia Local Health Authorities (ADINKES)
Association of Indonesia Local Health Offices (ADINKES) formed to facilitate collaboration between local health offices in Indonesia. Its mission includes improving communications among members, government, the private sector, and communities in implementing health development, and supporting the government in the development of public health, individual, and community empowerment efforts.
Media Contacts:
Halik Sidik, ADINKES: ppadinkes@gmail.com, +62.811.494.628
Steven Chlapecka, Resolve to Save Lives: schlapecka@resolvetosavelives.org, +1.917.623.0246
General inquiries, Resolve to Save Lives: press@resolvetosavelives.org

Five billion people unprotected from trans fat leading to heart disease

GENEVA, 23 January 2023 — Five billion people globally remain unprotected from harmful trans fat, a new status report from the World Health Organization (WHO) has found, increasing their risk of heart disease and death.

Since WHO first called for the global elimination of industrially produced trans fat in 2018 — with an elimination target set for 2023 — population coverage of best-practice policies has increased almost six-fold. Forty three countries have now implemented best-practice policies for tackling trans fat in food, with 2.8 billion people protected globally.

Despite substantial progress, however, this still leaves 5 billion worldwide at risk from trans fat’s devastating health impacts with the global goal for its total elimination in 2023 remaining unattainable at this time.

Industrially produced trans fat (also called industrially produced trans-fatty acids) is commonly found in packaged foods, baked goods, cooking oils and spreads. Trans fat intake is responsible for up to 500 000 premature deaths from coronary heart disease each year around the world.

“Trans fat has no known benefit, and huge health risks that incur huge costs for health systems,” said WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, “By contrast, eliminating trans fat is cost effective and has enormous benefits for health. Put simply, trans fat is a toxic chemical that kills, and should have no place in food. It’s time to get rid of it once and for all.”

Currently, 9 of the 16 countries with the highest estimated proportion of coronary heart disease deaths caused by trans fat intake do not have a best-practice policy. They are Australia, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Ecuador, Egypt, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan and Republic of Korea.

Best-practices in trans fat elimination policies follow specific criteria established by WHO and limit industrially produced trans fat in all settings. There are two best-practice policy alternatives: 1) mandatory national limit of 2 grams of industrially produced trans fat per 100 grams of total fat in all foods; and 2) mandatory national ban on the production or use of partially hydrogenated oils (a major source of trans fat) as an ingredient in all foods.

“Progress in eliminating trans fat is at risk of stalling, and trans fat continues to kill people,” said Dr Tom Frieden, President and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives. “Every government can stop these preventable deaths by passing a best-practice policy now. The days of trans fat killing people are numbered — but governments must act to end this preventable tragedy.”

While most trans fat elimination policies to date have been implemented in higher-income countries (largely in the Americas and in Europe), an increasing number of middle-income countries are implementing or adopting these policies, including Argentina, Bangladesh, India, Paraguay, the Philippines and Ukraine. Best-practice policies are also being considered in Mexico, Nigeria and Sri Lanka in 2023. If passed, Nigeria would be the second and most populous country in Africa to put a best-practice trans fat elimination policy in place. No low-income countries have yet adopted a best-practice policy to eliminate trans fat.

In 2023, WHO recommends that countries focus on these four areas: adopting best-practice policy, monitoring and surveillance, healthy oil replacements and advocacy. WHO guidance has been developed to help countries make rapid advances in these areas.

WHO also encourages food manufacturers to eliminate industrially produced trans fat from their products, aligning to the commitment made by the International Food and Beverage Alliance (IFBA). Major suppliers of oils and fats are asked to remove industrially produced trans fat from the products sold to food manufacturers globally.

The report, called Countdown to 2023 WHO Report on global trans fat elimination 2022, is an annual status report published by WHO in collaboration with Resolve to Save Lives, to track progress towards the goal of trans fat elimination in 2023.

For editors:

The World Health Organization has partnered with Resolve to Save Lives, a not-for-profit organization, to support the development and implementation of the REPLACE action package. Launched in 2018, the WHO’s REPLACE action package provides a strategic approach to eliminating industrially produced trans fat from national food supplies.

Since 2017, Bloomberg Philanthropies has supported Resolve to Save Lives’ global efforts to save lives from cardiovascular health disease.

To find out more, visit: https://resolvetosavelives.orgor Twitter @ResolveTSL

Media Contacts:

Jin Ni, Communications Officer, WHO, jinn@who.int,

Steven Chlapecka, Senior Media Strategist, Resolve to Save Lives, schlapecka@resolvetosavelives.org, +1.917.623.0246.

General press inquiries, press@resolvetosavelives.org

Resolve to Save Lives launches as independent organization

Resolve to Save Lives starts a new chapter as an independent, U.S.-based not-for-profit organization dedicated to strengthening global public health and saving lives through public health action after five successful years of rapid expansion incubated at Vital Strategies.

Connect with us

Latest news from Resolve to Save Lives

Subscribe to stay up to date on the latest news and learnings from our Cardiovascular Health and Prevent Epidemics teams, and our President and CEO Dr. Tom Frieden.