The AHN was founded in 2001 by African heart health professionals to provide a platform and a voice for civil society on CVD issues in Africa. We are part of the global CVD community through our membership of the World Heart Federation (WHF). We work towards the improvement of the health of Africans through better detection, treatment and prevention of CVD.
AHN is a registered non-profit company with its headquarters in Cape Town, South Africa.
Why we exist
The global burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to grow and is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide including in Africa.
Tackling CVD in Africa is a major challenge for development, as CVD results in significant health, social, financial and other consequences for those affected. Furthermore, CVD contributes to the social divide as it tends to affect predominantly poor and disadvantaged population subgroups.
Of the NCDs, CVD is the leading cause of disability and death, responsible for 17 million global deaths annually. Globally, deaths due to NCDs are expected to increase by 17% over the next ten years, with the greatest increase (27%) in the African region. The World Health Organization projects that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) will overtake all other causes of death by 2030 in all regions of Africa. CVD - mainly ischemic heart disease and stroke- contribute the largest share of NCDs in Africa, largely due to the increasing prevalence of tobacco use, hypertension and diabetes. In addition, cardiomyopathy and rheumatic heart disease are also major concerns in the African region, requiring a diverse strategies to fight CVD on the African continent.