Prominent among these are lifestyles that are unlikely to protect or promote health, adopting unhealthy practices such as smoking and unbalanced diets. The technical paper presented a picture of coronary heart disease, stroke, rheumatic heart disease and hypertension in member states. It emphasized the need to strengthen prevention programmes, whether they relate to the practices of individuals or to the community as a whole. Prevention of cardiovascular diseases is possible, but requires comprehensive programmes in which better information, more accurate data, health education and behaviour modification are important components. The presentation of the technical paper was followed by discussions reflecting genuine interest on the part of ministers of health and heads of delegations.
Member states appear to be giving due importance to cardiovascular diseases.
The discussion also emphasized that WHO should provide support for national initiatives requiring reliable data and other essential elements for planning national programmes. WHO should also prepare manuals and health education material about primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases. A third technical paper was presented to the Regional Committee dealing with the need to achieve self-sufficiency in the production of drugs and vaccines in the region. The paper reviewed the present situation with regard to drug and vaccine production, showing that most countries in the region rely heavily on imports from developed countries. It emphasized the importance of achieving self-sufficiency both to individuals and countries.