BENGALURU: Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has revealed that the government will soon roll out a health scheme aimed at auto and cab drivers. The programme will offer free tests for blood sugar, blood pressure (BP), treadmill (TMT), and echocardiogram (echo) to monitor their health.
“This will help us identify those at risk of heart attacks early and provide timely care,” said Rao, while attending a media workshop conducted on Hypertension on Wednesday. The announcement comes in light of the growing burden of hypertension in Karnataka.
“Discussions are being held with the Education Department to include health and quality lifestyle education for children in the school curriculum,” he said. Rao emphasised that hypertension is a silent epidemic, contributing to strokes, heart attacks, kidney failure, and premature deaths.
“Hypertension is now seen even among children below 18 years. Excess use of salt in food, tobacco consumption, lack of activity, etc, are the major causes for this. By the time children reach youth, hypertension is likely to severely affect their health,” said Dr US Vishal Rao, president of Indian Policy Research.
The government plans to expand community-level screening under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS), ensure availability of medicines at all Health & Wellness Centres, and run awareness campaigns promoting healthy lifestyles.
According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2019-20), one in four adults in the state suffers from high blood pressure.