Punjab government is all set to launch a “major initiative” in the public health sector in the form of free annual preventive health check-up programme (FAPHC) for the people above 30 years of age in the state.
The programme will be launched by the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal from Community Health Centre at Chamkaur Sahib in Ropar on December 6.
As per the programme, each resident of the state, who is above 30 years of age, will be screened for diseases like anemia, hypertension, diabetes, kidney and liver etc, said the state Principal Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) Vini Mahajan on Sunday.
The initiative has been planned by an expert group, led by Advisor Health Dr KK Talwar and Dr Rajesh Kumar of PGIMER. Mahajan said that such diseases can be prevented or controlled if detected at an early stage.
She said that as per public health experts, health check-up on a regular basis, especially after the age of 30, is the key to prevention of such diseases and play a major role in determining the quality of life.
“Therefore, after launching the initiative to provide free medicines and diagnostic facilities across the state, this annual health check-up programme has been designed to cover the 30 years plus population,” she said.
Mahajan said that under FAPHC programme, basic investigations like blood pressure, hemoglobin, blood sugar, kidney and liver function tests will be conducted free of cost in addition to consultation by doctors.
She added that patients suffering from kidney and liver diseases will be referred to nearest tertiary care facilities. “These people will be examined at all community health centers of the state on every Saturday by doctors and will be motivated to take healthy food and exercise regularly,” she said.