The Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad has said that diabetes is a silent killer and it is important that everyone in the country is screened for the disease and government intends to do so in next five years. After launching Urban Slum Health Check Up Scheme for Diabetes and Blood pressure the Minister also announced that very soon he will launch a scheme for screening diabetes among children.
The Minister said there are continuous learnings in public health. He said, in the beginning the scheme was for the age group of 30 and above. Later he found that pregnant women are also critical segment and were included in the program. Now with the growing cases of juvenile diabetes he has asked for the scheme for children. The Urban Slum Health Check Up Scheme for Diabetes and Blood pressure is taken up in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangluru. Central Government will provide the test kit including the glucometers and the states will take care of logistics.
Giving the background of the scheme Shri Azad said that the government has identified 100 districts and slum areas of 30 cities with more than 10 lakh population where 20000 subcentres will do the screening of approximately 17-18 crore population. The scheme will be implemented in the remaining period of the 11th plan and in 12th plan the remaining parts of the country will be taken up.
The Minister emphasized that the purpose of the scheme is not just to create data but the people will be informed about the treatment and precautions by SMS. The screened people will be given cards which will have the results of the tests and their details including socio economic parameters and contact details will be included in the database. Apart from advice the scheme intends to provide free insulin doses to the poor patients.
Speaking on the occasion the Delhi Chief Minister Smt Shiela Dikshit said that spread of diabetes is alarming and in Delhi cases among the children are rising very fast. He said that the program of screening will be implemented with great vigour and full sincerity. Delhi Health Minister Smt Kiran Walia also stressed the need to take up the cause with the same zeal with which polio drive has been taken up.
World Diabetes Day (November 14) witnessed massive people participation in spreading the awareness. Shri Azad attended a function at Greater NOIDA where 7000 children made human chain for the cause which is a said to be a new world record, earlier record stood at 6200 children. All the monuments and important building will be drenched in blue lights to celebrate the World Diabetes Day.
Source: pib.nic.in
Net News Publisher for World News
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