World Heart Day is first celebrated

Close to 20 million lives a year are lost to cardiovascular diseases world wide.  It is reported that South Africa loses close to 100 people per day to cardiovascular diseases. The World Health Organisation (WHO) organizes awareness events in over 100 countries worldwide on this day. The first World Heart Day was celebrated in 2000 as a joint initiative between World Heart Foundation (WHF) and World Health Organization (WHO). The events promote awareness on the dangers of the diseases and the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. South Africa is one of the countries that participate in World Heart Day, where events are held in different cities across the country. The theme for World Heart Day 2012 is “one world one family one heart”