Govt staff to be screened for hypertension

Ghaziabad: The health department has initiated a check-up programme — early diagnosis, better treatment — in government offices. Under the plan, health department teams will go to all government offices and conduct tests for the most common ailments such as hypertension and blood sugar.
Teams have so far screened around 1,000 employees by setting up camps in the municipal corporation, Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA), health department and CBI.
District surveillance officer Dr Rakesh Gupta said that teams of doctors are carrying out the drive twice a week as they must attend to their OPDs also. “So far four departments have been visited. About 10% to 20% of the staff have been found to be suffering from hypertension and blood sugar at each office. They are being given medical consultation. The aim of the programme is to diagnose the disease at an early stage and provide help,” said Gupta, who is also the nodal officer for the prevention of non-communicable diseases programme.
Dr Gupta added that often people do not go to the doctor for minor health issues they face and avoid health examinations. Blood pressure and diabetes are two diseases that are quite common and take a huge toll by the time it is diagnosed. The damage to the body is already done. These problems can be reversed by making lifestyle changes and through counselling if diagnosed in time. As far as giving medicine is concerned, the sooner it is started, the better are the results, he added.
For counselling and treatment, patients are referred to the NCD wing located at MMG District Hospital.