Health & Family Welfare Minister Punjab Brahm Mohindra here today launched a comprehensive health awareness campaign on Hypertension and flagged off van for awareness campaign that will cover the major village and towns of Punjab for 30 days to generate awareness on non communicable diseases.Speaking on the occasion Mr. Brahm Mohindra stated that hypertension is the commonest non-communicable disease and it usually starts in the most productive age group that is around 30-35 years of age. As per NFHS-4, mild hypertension (140-159/90-99 mm Hg) is seen among 10.5% women and 17.4% men, while 2.7% women and 4.4% men have moderate to severe hypertension in 15-49 years age group. Another non-communicable disease risk factor study conducted by PGIMER, Chandigarh estimated that 40.1% population had raised blood pressure whereas it was higher at 61% (47% men and 31.5% women) in population aged 45-69 years.Health Minister said that Department of Health & Family Welfare has started screening of all individuals above 30 years of age under 'National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer' , Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke. The screening is being done at population level through ANMs and at institution level by doctors. Till date 22, 68,537 individuals have been screened for these diseases and 5,35,620 (23.6%) persons have been found to be suffering from Hypertension.
During 2016-17, on an average 1,13,160 individuals were screened every month out of which 14,250 (12.6%) were found hypertensive and put on treatment.Mr. Mohindra told that the treatment for hypertension is available free of cost for everyone at all government health institutions. Any individual who is detected to be suffering from hypertension is put on treatment by the doctor and the follow up is given at the village level by ANM. All hypertensive are given medicine for one month at a time so as to minimize their visits to the health institutions. Brahm Mohindra said that individuals suffering from Diabetes are more prone to hypertension, cardiac disease and stroke. It causes changes in the eye which may lead to blindness, affects kidneys, liver, heart as well as brain. Hypertension predisposes the individual to cardiac disease and stroke.Health Minister further said that hypertension is caused by multiple factors including poor diet- rich in saturated fat, high salt intake, stress, lack of exercise, sedentary lifestyle, smoking and use of other forms of tobacco, alcohol intake and a positive family history. Health & Family Welfare Minister said that Prevention of hypertension along with early detection and timely treatment is very important for maintaining good health of the community.Among others present on the occasion were Dr Dharampal, Director Health Service, Family Welfare, Dr. Rajesh Sharma, Director, Punjab Health Systems Corporation, Dr Hans, Additional Director, Dr Jai Singh, Civil Surgeon, SAS Nagar, Dr GB Singh, Asstt. Director and other senior officers of the department.