World Heart Day 2019 – FIC Bolivia

FIC Bolivia has been working had for the passage of their Comprehensive Tobacco control law, based in the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) guidelines, and after long delays the bill was approved in the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. However, the FIC Bolvia team also celebrated WHD and took the chance to highlight the good work of different allies and speakers within Congress and other organizations. They made several interviews and wrote a story for the “Heart Heroes” campaign and coordinated the lighting of buildings (see photo), and together with the University of San Andrés (UMSA) they organized a National Symposium on September 30th.

FIC Bolivia co-organized a Street Fair “Take care of your heart” (“Cuida de tu corazón”) on WHD, in the city of La Paz where activities such as BP monitoring, cholesterol and glycemia tests and healthy lifestyles advice were provided. This was done in collaboration with the Municipality of La Paz, students from the University Franz Tamayo and the Alliance for Tobacco-free Bolivia.

In Sucre, FIC Bolivia supported the prevention campaign during World Heart Day week called an “Initiative for Women´s Hearts”, to bring awareness to the female public of 18+ years about cardiovascular diseases and their risk factors. The San Agustin Pharmacy approached women and sent them for free Glucose and Lipid tests to a laboratory, and later for a consultation with a cardiologist (organized by the Cardiology Society from Chuquisaca, supported by the IASC, Bolivian Society of Cardiology, AHA, and FIC Bolivia).