Kalanaur health staff out to identify diabetic, hypertensive persons

Tribune News Service

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Amritsar, May 24

With an objective to counter Covid-19 fatality rate, a total of 22 medical teams of community health centre Kalanaur are in field to identify persons suffering from non- communicable diseases (NCDs)complications.

Dr Lakhwinder Singh Athwal, Senior Medical Officer, said, “It has been noticed that people who are having NCDs like hypertension, diabetes mellitus are at a greater risk of getting infected with Covid-19 as they have low immunity in comparison to healthy persons”.

Dr Athwal said: “We have observed that NCDs are one of the major reasons behind Covid deaths so we have launched this campaign to bring them on medication in time. In rural areas people do not get tested for hypertension or diabetes until they face a serious complication”.

He said, “Our teams comprise of ANMs, MPHW, ASHA and community health officers are equipped with thermometer, pulse oximeter, sphygmomanometer and glucometer so that they can take down blood pressure reading and level of blood sugar on the spot”.

He said: “On the first day of survey we identify 41 persons having NCDs complications and we have registered them and started their medication immediately. Unfortunately majority of the people are not aware that they are patient of NCDs and even if they now accept it as part of their normal life”.

Since November 2020 till now, the CHC has identified 1,284 patients of diabetes mellitus and 752 patients of hypertension, he said. The survey would continue for next 15 days.