India has screened close to 20 lakh people for diabetes, hypertension and oral, breast and cervical cancers in the current financial year under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS). These diseases account for 55% of premature deaths in India. One in two adults with diabetes worldwide is undiagnosed and untreated because he/she stays
asymptomatic till complications set in.
“Of the 129 lakh people screened at district hospitals and community health centres for NCDs last year, 10.68 lakh had undiagnosed diabetes and 14.93 lakh had undiagnosed high blood pressure,” said Dr Damodar Bachani, deputy commissioner, NCD, ministry of health and family welfare.
Undiagnosed disease was also high among the general public in villages (see box), where the screening is done by ASHAs (accredited social health activists) and ANMs (auxiliary nurse midwife) using hand-held testing machines and equipment that can be easily carried to camps or door-to-door.
“Targeted screening, diagnosis and management, along with lifestyles advice on nutrition, enhanced physical activity and reducing tobacco and alcohol will help India meet its target of reducing premature death from NCDs by one-third,” says Dr Bachani.
No comments:
Post a Comment