Under the patronage of the Mayor of Amman, Eng. Omar Al-Ma'ani, and in commemoration of the World Hypertension Day, Pfizer Jordan joined the hundreds of individuals participating in the Amman FastWalk to raise awareness on hypertension, its causes and the lifestyle changes that could help prevent or reverse the disease.
Following the initial speed-walking session, Pfizer's employees organized free-of-charge lipid profile tests to participants and provided them with essential information on the function of cholesterol in the body. Since smoking and hypertension are directly related, instant Carbon Monoxide (CO) level tests were conducted to measure the level of Carbon Monoxide in participants' bodies, in addition to the distribution of awareness material to introduce Pfizer's latest smoking cessation breakthrough Champix® (Varenicline) - the first in a new class of treatment designed to help Physicians provide smokers with a solution for them to reach their goal of quitting and staying quit.
"One of Pfizer's key objectives is to promote overall health awareness in Jordan," commented Pfizer's national sales manager Sleiman Edeily. "Hypertension, though fairly widespread, is an easily reversible condition when essential dietary and lifestyle changes are made. This is also applicable to many chronic illnesses and is knowledge we are committed to spreading in our local communities in an attempt to foster a more health-conscious society for future generations."
The Amman FastWalk is a mainstream athletic activity held several days a week, bringing hundreds of individuals together on a city-wide, speed-walking spree. The initiative was organized with the objective of instilling positive lifestyle habits. Pfizer's participation in the FastWalk comes to reaffirm the company's commitment to promoting health awareness utilizing an effective educational approach that embraces public interests and blends between entertainment and knowledge. The company's participation in the FastWalk was done in collaboration with Jordanian Atherosclerosis and Hypertension Society (JAHS), a key medical society housing some of Jordan's most prominent physicians.
"We want to thank Pfizer for their continual support of the Kingdom's medical community and for their unwavering efforts in promoting a culture of health consciousness," said Dr. Taroub Khoury Founder of JAHS. "During this event, we encouraged people to walk in a society where sedentary lifestyles dominate and where cars and buses are the preferred modes of transportation. This is indeed a positive habit to ingrain our culture and we are happy that a company as prominent as Pfizer is working to promote awareness in this regard."
According to the Jordanian Health Ministry, approximately 1 in 4 Jordanians suffers from hypertension. The proliferation of smoking, meat-based diets and sedentary lifestyles is accelerating the development of chronic disease in society, which is why organizations are urged to make health awareness an integral part of their sustainable development strategies.
