No Symptoms, No Warning: WHO Says 1.4 Billion People Have Hypertension, Only One in Four Have It Under Control

Reported by: Puis Althea | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.

The World Health Organization has issued a stark warning that high blood pressure remains a "silent threat" capable of causing serious damage to vital organs without showing any warning signs, urging people across the globe to monitor their blood pressure regularly and keep it below 140/90 mmHg. In a health advisory shared on its verified X account on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, the global health body stressed the importance of early detection and regular monitoring to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney damage and other life-threatening complications associated with hypertension. The organisation's advisory partly read: "High blood pressure often has no warning signs, but it can quietly damage your heart, brain, kidneys, and blood vessels. Check your blood pressure regularly, keep track of your readings over time, and aim for a healthy blood pressure below 140/90 mmHg".

Hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure, is one of the leading risk factors for cardiovascular diseases worldwide. Medical experts say the condition is often referred to as a "silent killer" because many people live with it for years without symptoms, while it progressively damages the heart, brain, kidneys and blood vessels. The WHO's warning comes as the organisation continues to champion the 2026 World Hypertension Day theme, "Controlling Hypertension Together: Check Your Blood Pressure Regularly, Defeat the Silent Killer", a message that underscores the need for coordinated action by individuals, families, communities, health workers and governments to tackle the growing burden of the disease.

Globally, an estimated 1.4 billion people live with hypertension, but only one in four have it under control, according to the WHO. In the African Region, up to 44 per cent of adults aged 30 to 79 years are affected, yet in most countries fewer than half are diagnosed, and fewer than one in five have it under control. The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, described the situation as a "silent crisis unfolding across our communities," stressing that on this World Hypertension Day, we must make blood pressure measurement routine and ensure that everyone knows their numbers. "Early detection saves lives and effective treatment is available," Janabi said. "However, detection alone is not enough. Sustained control requires strong primary health care systems, reliable access to affordable medicines, regular follow-up and long-term patient support".

According to health experts, regular blood pressure checks, a healthy diet low in salt, regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding tobacco use, limiting alcohol intake and adhering to prescribed medication where necessary are among the most effective ways to prevent and control hypertension. The WHO has consistently called on governments and health authorities to strengthen awareness campaigns and improve access to blood pressure screening, noting that early diagnosis and effective management remain critical to reducing deaths and disabilities linked to cardiovascular diseases. The organisation is working with countries to prevent and control hypertension through promoting healthier diets, reduced salt intake, physical activity, and the elimination of tobacco and harmful alcohol use; integrating blood pressure screening into routine primary care services; implementing effective and affordable treatment protocols, including medicines that combine multiple drugs in a single pill; and strengthening health systems with better data, affordable tests and medicines, and national targets aligned with the global goal of reducing uncontrolled hypertension by 25 per cent.

The WHO has also emphasised that equity must be at the centre of these efforts, and that strengthening primary health care and ensuring that everyone, especially people in underserved communities, can access the care they need is fundamental to reducing disparities and achieving universal health coverage. "Today, I call on governments, health workers, communities and individuals to act decisively," Janabi said. "Let us raise awareness, expand screening, improve care and support people living with hypertension to lead healthier, longer lives. Together, we can reverse the tide of hypertension in Africa and together, we can defeat the silent killer".

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