Hypertension prevention and treatment efforts persisted despite of the unprecedented global outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020. On October 17, the World Hypertension League held the theme activity of “World Hypertension Day 2020” in Beijing, where experts around the world gathered online to discuss and exchange hypertension prevention and treatment strategies and share their experiences in the prevention and treatment of hypertension in different countries and regions.

On the global event of the World Hypertension Day, the World Health Organization and relevant doctors around the world have shown full attention and concern. Dr. Tedros, Director-General of WHO, Prof. Xinhua Zhang, President of the World Hypertension League, Dr. Maciej Tomaszewski, President of the International Society of Hypertension and other principals attended the meeting.

It is encouraging to hear that at the opening ceremony that morning, Prof. Marcelo Orias, on behalf of the World Hypertension League, announced winners of the outstanding contribution award of the 2020 World Hypertension League online in the form of a video conference, and Prof. Yingqing Feng from Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital received the “Award in Population Cardiovascular Risk Factor Control”, the only Chinese cardiovascular specialist to receive this award. At the conference, Prof. Lisheng Liu, former President of the World Hypertension League, and Prof. Xinhua Zhang, current President of the World Hypertension League, presented the award to Prof. Yingqing Feng. Those who also received the award were officer of United States Public Health Service, director of California Department of Health, and professor of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, the United States.

Director Yingqing Feng has been doing research and working at the grassroots level over the past 30 years and made remarkable contributions to the prevention and treatment of hypertension in China. In this year’s theme conference, she put forward “priorities for hypertension prevention and management in the next five years” , saying that as the prevalence of hypertension continues to increase in younger populations, more research is needed to help better manage hypertension and reduce associated cardiovascular diseases. More research is also needed to better understand the risk factors and the most cost-effective ways to reduce the burden of hypertension in developing countries.

In addition, Prof. Yingqing Feng said that she was the only Chinese recipient of the “Award in Population Cardiovascular Risk Factor Control” by the World Hypertension League, which was made possible by the encouragement, assistance and training she received from older hypertension experts. Remaining true to the original aspiration, and striving to accomplish the grand mission, she hopes to continue working with Chinese doctors and make remarkable “Chinese contributions” to the prevention and treatment of hypertension in the world.