Blood pressure screening at ESIA. As part of its 20th anniversary celebration, ESIA (Espace Sanitaire Interentreprises d'Antananarivo) organized a free screening session in Andranomena yesterday. A fight against silent but fatal diseases. The choice to target diabetes and hypertension during this action day was no coincidence. As explained by Dr Eddy Rabetsoa, physician at ESIA, these conditions constitute a real public health problem due to their asymptomatic nature at the outset. "Many people suffer from these diseases without knowing it and only seek treatment when complications appear. This is precisely why we opened our doors to local residents so they could benefit from free screening," says Dr Eddy Rabetsoa, physician at ESIA Andranomena. He took the opportunity to conduct rigorous awareness-raising. He recalled that while diabetes and hypertension are diseases that "lurk silently" and can prove fatal, they can be effectively prevented and treated. The key, however, lies in early diagnosis, hence the critical importance of encouraging the population to get screened regularly. Opportunities The impact of this free service was felt: 69 people received care during the morning. For beneficiaries, the initiative represents a breath of fresh air in a difficult economic context. "I chose to come have my blood pressure checked today because normally you have to pay 3,000 Ariary just for that at a private doctor. We really hope such actions, which greatly relieve the population, will be repeated often," testified a father who attended. This medical appointment in Andranomena is not an isolated act for ESIA, which recently conducted a similar action in Antsahabe. These free screening campaigns are part of the organization's 20th anniversary celebrations.