Watching Manchester United score goals has long set Garo Hagop’s pulse racing – in a good way. But recently, he has banished more unhealthy sources of high blood pressure thanks to joint efforts by Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health and WHO to target cardiovascular diseases.
The 64-year-old Beirut public school concierge, who had been a smoker for 25 years, was first diagnosed with hypertension in 2015. His blood pressure was tested while visiting the Karagheusian Primary Health Care (PHC) Centre in Burj Hammoud, recording a high 200 mmHg over 110 mmHg - well over WHO recommended levels for normal adult blood pressure.