Dimapur, June 10 (EMN): A total of 15,100 population including 823 persons with hypertension (5.45%), 710 persons with diabetes (4.70%), 55 persons with cancer (0.36%), 107 persons with kidney disease (0.71%) and 40 persons with TB (0.3%) from 9243 households across 42 colonies in Kohima have benefitted from the social health responsibility campaign.
This was disclosed by the chief medical officer (CMO) of Kohima, Dr. Vezokholu Theyo, during a review of the social health responsibility campaign held at de-Oriental Hotel in Kohima on June 9. The social health responsibility campaign was an initiative of the CMO of office, in collaboration with the district administration and AKMWP on the theme "Leave no one's health behind: invest in the health system for all," funded by NUHM, Nagaland.
Making a powerpoint presentation on the outcome of the campaign, Dr. Theyo informed that a total number of 2,429 people have availed free consultation, medicines and diagnostic services. He added that a total of 269 (11.07%) new hypertension cases, 69 (2.84%) new diabetes cases, and 24 (0.98%) new HTN+ DM were also detected among the targeted population.
Dr. Theyo informed that the campaign was conducted to reduce risk, morbidity and mortality due to hypertension and diabetes, to identify co-morbid disease prevalence in the community, to protect the co-morbid group of people from Covid death should another wave occur. He stated that the maximum number of Covid deaths was reported from people with co-morbidities in the urban area during first and second waves.
The principal secretary to the government of Nagaland, Amardeep Singh Bhatia, has congratulated the Kohima team for the successful conduct of the campaign in a short time. He stated that the campaign was conducted at the right time because the community lifestyle in urban areas keep changing as compared to earlier times with easy accessibility to transportation, eating habits with easy availability of imported food items, and lack of exercise, which affects the health in various ways. He added that people have become more susceptible to pandemic-like diseases due to various reasons.
In this regard, he suggested that one should focus on prevention, which is the best public health response rather than the treatment part to deal with such situations. He expressed believe that the community and the society would be able to achieve some preventive elements through the awareness campaign.
On the treatment part, Bhatia has stressed on the importance of early detection of any health issues and monitoring the condition on regular basis and treating with an appropriate medical regime. He also encouraged the gathering to push towards lifestyle changes with the right message and treatment.
Mentioning that non-communicable diseases (NCD) are very much prevailing in the society, Bhatia stressed the need to act together at the individual, community, and government levels to ensure that NCD does not become a silent pandemic that would affect the people severely in the long run.
Bhatia further informed that the government has undertaken two major initiatives namely the medical college and the launch of the Chief Minister's Health Insurance Scheme for easy access to quality health facilities and with a hope to bring down the expenditure while availing the health facilities during the treatment part.
The principal director of Health and Family Welfare department, Dr. K Vikato Kinimi encouraged the community to be updated with their health status and to keep their bodies fit. He also requested the NRHM to initiate the same screening campaign all over the district through the medical staff.
Mission Director of NHAK, Dr. Thorusie Katiry, spoke on the need to take corrective measures on food habits and lifestyles for hypertension and diabetic patients. He said that medication alone will not be the only solution to the diseases but the involvement of the community in spreading awareness on healthcare values concerning health status and good lifestyle practices.
Delivering the closing remarks, the deputy commissioner of Kohima, Gregory Thejawelie, thanked the CMO Kohima and the medical team for the successful conduct of the campaign. He also thanked the AKMWP, chairmen and leaders of various wards for their support in making the campaign a success.
President of AKMWP, Thejao Sekhose, and chairman of Ward 11 PWD, DozholuTunyi, also shared their experiences on the campaign, while the state project officer of NUHM Nagaland, Dr. Puse Liegise, delivered the welcome address.