Save The Pulse Initiative - Africa

18/05/2026

The phrase “SALT SANA,” while often used symbolically or figuratively, may be misinterpreted and unintentionally encourage increased salt consumption or abuse.

As we mark 2026 World Hypertension Day, our Executive Director highlights an important public health concern in this Video below.

Kindly Share with your network,
And join the fight against hypertension.

18/05/2026

𝐒𝐓𝐏𝐈𝐀 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐌𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠
𝐀𝐦𝐢𝐝 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 “𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐓 𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐀” 𝐩𝐡𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐞.

Lusaka, Zambia — 17th May 2026.

As Zambia joins the global community in commemorating World Hypertension Day 2026 under the theme: “𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑯𝒚𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑻𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓: 𝑪𝒉𝒆𝒄𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒈𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒚, 𝒅𝒆𝒇𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒌𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓,” Save The Pulse Initiative Africa (STPIA) wishes to express concern and highlight an important public health consideration regarding the increasing use of the phrase “𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐓 𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐀” in public discourse.

While the phrase is widely understood to be used in a figurative or symbolic context, STPIA notes with concern that its widespread use may be misinterpreted at community level
inadvertently encouraging increased salt consumption - a known risk factor for
hypertension and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Hypertension—commonly referred to as high blood pressure—remains one of the leading causes of stroke, heart disease, kidney failure, and premature death in Zambia. Alarmingly, many individuals are unaware they are affected, earning it the name “the silent killer.”

Excess salt intake is one of the most significant and preventable contributors to elevated blood pressure. The World Health Organization recommends a daily salt intake of less than
5 grams (approximately one teaspoon)—a threshold that is frequently exceeded in our communities.

“𝑾𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝒘𝒆 𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔, 𝒘𝒆 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒑𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒄 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒆𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒐𝒓 𝒊𝒇 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒅. 𝑰𝒏 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒚 𝒂𝒍𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒚 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒚𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝒎𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒍𝒚
𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒍𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏”

STPIA, in it’s work focused on championing the fight against hypertension, urges the general public to:
- Be aware of the health risks associated with high salt intake

- Avoid translating figurative messages into harmful dietary practices

- Prioritize regular blood pressure screening and healthy lifestyle choices

As part of its ongoing public health efforts, STPIA continues to lead awareness campaigns such as and , aimed at reducing salt consumption and
promoting cardiovascular health across Zambia and the African continent.

STPIA remains committed to working collaboratively with government institutions, healthcare professionals, civil society and the media to promote evidence-based health messaging and protect community well-being.

Dr. Elipilious Chibwaya
Executive Director
Save The Pulse Initiative Africa (STPIA)

Mwebantu

18/05/2026

Sometimes you can go about your day for years, feeling completely fine - while high blood pressure quietly strains your heart, damages blood vessels and stresses your kidneys.

The good news: prevention and control are possible.

Early diagnosis, access to affordable high blood pressure medicines and healthy daily habits can greatly lower these risks.

18/05/2026

Uncontrolled hypertension can damage your heart, kidneys, eyes and more.

But high blood pressure can be prevented, detected and managed. 💙

Check your blood pressure regularly. Know your numbers today and take steps to protect your health.

17/05/2026

A powerful call to Action Dr. Clinton Kadochi this was.
Thank you for your continued dedication to this cause.

17/05/2026

17/05/2026

Know This! Your Foods , Your Diet shouldn't be the source and cause of your premature death!