The State Government on Monday launched a major offensive against diseases known as silent killers that arises out of poor lifestyle and need no career to cast their deadly spell over a population that is still oblivious of the consequences of not waking up to the threat. Also referred as non-communicable disease the category includes lifestyle disorders such as diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
The initiative coined as UDAAN- United Dialogue and Action Against Non-Communicable Diseases has been launched on pilot mode in Kanke Block of Ranchi and will be shaking people out of their snooze through massive awareness drive, with targeted intervention for better treatment of those suffering from the chronic disease and inculcating better manners to manage such disorders. The State Govt will be assisted by NGOs —Vikas Bharti, Project Hope—and medical device manufacturer, Boston Scientific in the project.
“Unrestrained and erratic lifestyle leads to diseases. State can progress only when people of the State remain healthy. A happy and healthy Jharkhand is our commitment and also to ensure wellbeing of people,” said CM Raghubar Das present on the occasion.
The three-year project includes six major activities of promoting communications, social and behavioural change through interpersonal communication and community mobilisation; enhancing systems and capacity for treatment and management of complications at NCD clinics (only referral to tertiary care); link to state health insurance schemes; creating and enabling environment for improved partnership; expansion of learning for planning, management and scaling of NCD interventions and conducting evidence based advocacy for improved NCD services and coverage. “This programme would definitely ensure prevention of non-communicable diseases and will help in reducing deaths due to these in Jharkhand. Prevention is better than cure and awareness is important to educate people so that they can take precautions,” added Health Minister Ramchandra Chandravanshi.
Interestingly, Kanke’s case load and threat to the population which is largest among all the administrative blocks brought attention to run the project which will be subsequently expanded to other blocks as well.
“Role of social organisation is limited and defined which is to fill the gap between State government and people with collaborative efforts. It is an effort in this direction today. We must endeavour to make the benefits for better education and health reach to the last man,” maintained Secretary of Vikas Bharti, Ashok Bhagat. As the National Programme for Preventive and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular and Stroke statistics for March 2015 say; of the 1.7-lakh people screened so far around 10 per cent were found to be diabetic and nine per cent battling with hypertension. According to officials figures of the total of 24-lakh people screened so far around 1.6-lakh people have been found to be affected with diabetes and hypertension. Notably three districts—Ranchi, Dhanbad and Bokaro—are being covered under NPCDS which is the source of the latest intervention against NCD.
The launch ceremony was attended by MlA Kanke, Jeetu Charan Ram; DG of State Nutrition Mission, Mridula Sinha; Mission Director of Jharkhand Rural Health Mission Society, Ashish Singhmar; Executive Vice-president of Project HOPE, linda Heitzman; VP and MD of Boston Scientific, Prabal Chakraborty and Regional Director-South East Asia, laxmikant Palo.