BERHAMPUR: The report of a health screening initiative ‘Arogyam,’ jointly introduced by the Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) and the District Health Department, has disclosed that a significant 44 per cent of residents in slum areas of Berhampur city are grappling with obesity. Of the 54,782 individuals tested, including 32,557 women, 19,312 were identified as obese. The survey also suggested 14,594 cases of anaemia, 6,040 cases of high blood pressure, and 2,063 cases of diabetes.
Specially trained volunteers, organised into 19 teams, conducted health screenings across 172 slums spanning all 42 wards under the BeMC. The data aims to identify disease-prone areas and contribute to the Integrated Health Surveillance initiative. Although obesity may seem less severe, Dr M.K. Panda, additional district urban public health officer, emphasised its potential link to serious diseases such as heart and liver issues, attributing the rise to irregular diets and the consumption of junk food.
The Arogyam programme, implemented at a cost of approximately Rs 85.94 lakh, utilised digital diagnostic devices with a mobile application. BeMC Commissioner J. Sonal said the programme will be extended to non-slum areas under the BeMC limits. Ganjam collector Dibyajyoti Parida emphasised the broader impact of Arogyam, not only in disease detection but also in promoting awareness about both non-communicable and communicable diseases among the slum population.