Recognising the signs and taking action are some of the steps to be taken to prevent subsequent complications caused by heart disease.
This was the message as Mpumalanga Department of Health commemorated the annual World Heart Day at Thembalethu Community Hall in the Thembisile Hani Local Municipality on Tuesday 29 September 2026.
The event, led by Health MEC, Sasekani Manzini, accompanied by senior officials from the Department, traditional leadership, and other key stakeholders, was held under the theme; “Don’t Miss a Beat”, served as a clarion call to the community members to protect their hearts and always be on the look out for early symptoms related to the disease.
Caption: Officials from the Department of Health spreading the message
According to the Department, the key message was based around reminding the community members that heart disease can hide in plain sight.
“Cardiovascular disease remains the world’s leading cause of death. It can affect anyone, and warning signs may go unnoticed or be overlooked. The provision of health screening services for hypertension and other conditions supports the campaign’s emphasis on prevention, early detection and management of cardiovascular diseases through accessible primary healthcare services,” said the Department.
The Department said the MEC urged the community members to adhere to healthy lifestyle protocols.
Caption: Community members in full support of the event
“MEC Manzini encouraged the community to utilised health facilities to check their health status, to take their medication, eat healthy food, and use their yards to plant vegetables,” said the Department.
Some of the services provided by the Department of Health during the event included; blood pressure checks to screen for hypertension, cholesterol testing to measure lipid profiles and cardiovascular risk, blood glucose testing to check for diabetes and blood sugar irregularities, BMI(Body Mass Index) and waist circumference, to mention but a few.
