Alarmed over rapid rise in the number of diabetes patient, the Centre plans to carry out a mammoth exercise of screening the entire adult population in a phased manner over a period of next five years.
As part of the planned exercise, the Union Health Ministry has launched an ambitious programme under which people will be screened for diabetes and hypertension in 100 select districts and 33 cities with more than 10 lakh population.Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, launching the programme in the state of Delhi, said India has 5.1 crore people with diabetes, which is the second largest population of diabetics in the World after China.
“We are planning to screen the entire country as major segment of the population is not even aware about the disease,” he said.Azad said, in the 33 selected cities, people living in urban slums will be screened for diabetes and hypertension.
The Union Health Minister alarmed by the rising incidence of the non-communicable diseases all over the world and its impact on the health care delivery, the United Nations General assembly is convening a summit meeting of Heads of States in September this year.
The Minister said that keeping in mind the need for early detection of NCDs for effective treatment, the ambitious programme for screening of diabetes and hypertension has been initiated by the government.
The cost of the programme in 100 diostricts and 33 cities would be Rs 1,230. He said in the identified cities such as Delhi, people living in the urban slums will be screened as people in slums are vulnerable to diabetes and hypertension due to poverty, poor socio-economic conditions, lack of awareness and stress due to urbanisation.