Minister for IT, Industries and Urban Development K.T. Rama Rao on Sunday announced the launch of ‘Arogya Chevella’ programme, an initiative of Chevella MP Dr. G. Ranjith Reddy, to increase health awareness among people of Chevella Lok Sabha constituency on non-communicable diseases with the help of mobile medical clinics and partnership of local community, self-help groups and local hospitals.
The programme launch coincided with the birthday of Dr. Ranjith Reddy on Sunday. According to the MP’s office, the mobile medical clinics would offer will screening of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like hypertension, diabetes, oral, breast and cervical cancers along with general health check-ups free of cost to the constituents of the MP.
Speaking at the launch, Dr. Ranjith Reddy said while conducting medical camps during the last couple of years they had noticed that about 25% of the population was at high-risk of NCDs. The colliding burdens of infectious diseases and NCDs was significant. People with undiagnosed NCDs, particularly diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, were at greater risk of infection-induced complications including death.
The Arogya Chevella programme is a community engagement model started to promote awareness on NCDs, particularly diabetes and hypertension, and connect the people of Chevella to local government health systems for early diagnosis and treatment.
Screening tests would be performed as per the National Programme for Prevention of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and strokes (NPCDCS) guidelines. The beneficiaries would be of the age group of 30 to 65 years. Training of SHGs and partnership with local hospitals and labs would generate confidence within the community to visit the local PHCs and Basti Dawakhanas, the MP’s office explained.
The mobile clinic is a crucial component of the programme for easy screening and primary intervention with all necessary safety and health protocols in reaching out to communities in remote areas. It would also make it possible to identify those with NCDs who appear to be in good health and may not even be aware of the disease.
