India is set to embark on the largest-ever screening of its population for hypertension in
one go. Starting tomorrow (May 1), the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in
association with
local collaborators will reach 25 lakh Indians for high blood pressure
screening.
“This is the
largest-ever screening undertaken in the country for hypertension. India has
decided to join an
initiative of the World Hypertension League which will screen people
across nations for
high BP to mark this year’s World Hypertension Day on May 17.
Indian target population of 25 lakh is the highest globally,” Dr Meenakshi Sharma, the
scientist handling non-communicable diseases in ICMR, told The Tribune today.
Indian target population of 25 lakh is the highest globally,” Dr Meenakshi Sharma, the
scientist handling non-communicable diseases in ICMR, told The Tribune today.
India doesn’t have an
official national-level estimation of high blood pressure, the silent
killer responsible for 10 per cent of all deaths annually across the world. Available
estimations of prevalence come from local studies that cover a section of Indian states
at the most.
killer responsible for 10 per cent of all deaths annually across the world. Available
estimations of prevalence come from local studies that cover a section of Indian states
at the most.
The ICMR,
government’s apex research body, has decided to partner The Public Health
Foundation of India
(PHFI) for the exercise. Only recently, the government had cancelled
PHFI’s licence under
the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act barring it from receiving
foreign funds, citing
some irregularities. The NGO’s local operations remain unaffected.
“The exercise will be
jointly conducted by the ICMR, Public Health Foundation of India
and the Centre for Chronic Diseases and Prevention. The aim is to encourage doctors for
and the Centre for Chronic Diseases and Prevention. The aim is to encourage doctors for
opportunistic
screening of people entering healthcare settings. It is seen that doctors don’t
normally screen
patients for hypertension and lose the opportunity. Partners have now
developed an
application for doctors, which they can download on Android and even from
the Internet to feed
in details of screening and hypertension investigation throughout May,”
said Dr Prabhakaran
from CCDP and Council Member, International Society of
Hypertension.
The screening will
happen through May with ICMR calling the activity “May Measurement
Month (May 1 to 31)
to reach 2.5 million Indians”.
“Current estimates
say 40 per cent urban Indians above 30 years are hypertensive and
25 per cent rural population above this age group has high blood pressure. High BP is
linked to strokes, heart attacks, heart failures and kidney diseases but 50 per cent of
those with hypertension don’t know it,” said Dr Prabhakaran.
25 per cent rural population above this age group has high blood pressure. High BP is
linked to strokes, heart attacks, heart failures and kidney diseases but 50 per cent of
those with hypertension don’t know it,” said Dr Prabhakaran.
Largest-ever exercise
The Indian Council of
Medical Research has tied up with Public Health Foundation of
India to embark on the largest-ever exercise to screen people for the silent killer
India to embark on the largest-ever exercise to screen people for the silent killer
The screening will
happen through May with the ICMR calling the activity “May
Measurement Month to
reach 2.5 million Indians”. It will get a chance to assess high
blood pressure burden in large sample size.
blood pressure burden in large sample size.
Source: The Tribune
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