As per the National Health Mission, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is launching population based prevention, screening and control programme.
It is for five common non-communicable diseases.
These are Hypertension, Diabetes, and Cancers of oral cavity, breast and cervix.
On February 4th coinciding with World Cancer Day, Union Health and Family Welfare Minster is to launch the programme.
The training of frontline workers- the ASHA and ANM which will be initiated. In some sub-centres, population based screening will also start.
Protocols for treatment, referrals and follow-up on these disease conditions will be provided.
In the first phase, the population based screening component will be rolled out in 100 districts in 32 states and UTs.
Around 1000 sub-centres are undertaking screening before March 31st 2017.
ASHAs will also be capturing information on major risk factors. This is so that persons at risk could be counselled on leading healthy lifestyles to prevent onset of NCDs.
Eventually, Chronic Obstructive Respiratory diseases will be included. The programme will be scaled up to cover other districts.
Support to states will also be provided for community health promotion and prevention efforts, and referral and treatment.
What are NCDs?- Non-Communicable diseases (NCDs) are not transmitted by the infected person.
- These include Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) such as heart attacks and stroke, Diabetes, Chronic Respiratory Diseases (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases and Asthma) and Cancer.
- The above account for over 60% of all mortality in India.
- Of these, nearly 55% are premature mortality.
- This imposes a financial and social cost on families and the country.
- According to the WEF, India stands to lose $ 4.58 trillion between 2012 and 2030 due to NCD.
