OVER 3,000 people in rural Victoria and New South Wales took part in a recent heart screening program led by the Shane Warne Legacy in partnership with Novartis Australia, SiSu Health, and Wesfarmers.
The screenings (pictured) were offered at community hubs, including shopping centres and Priceline pharmacies in the Mallee and Gilmore regions.
Of those screened, 1,951 opted for a full cholesterol test.
The program, which focused on remote areas where cardiovascular disease deaths are significantly higher, revealed that 85% of participants had at least one risk factor, such as high blood pressure, cholesterol or a BMI over 30.
There were 12% who had all three major risk factors, underscoring the urgent need for better heart health awareness in these areas.
Shane Warne Legacy CEO Helen Nolan said, "we know Shane would be proud of the impact we're having in these communities".
Novartis Australia's Cardiovascular Therapeutic Area head Marco Muscardo emphasised the importance of access to health screenings for rural populations, noting that better detection and prevention are critical to improving outcomes for heart disease, which affects millions across Australia.
This initiative follows the launch of the CVD Impact Report, which outlined how the WHO's Test, Treat, Track model could save over 4,000 lives and $3 billion by focusing on prevention, early intervention, and community-based heart health testing by pharmacists. JG
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