BENGALURU: With the Karnataka assembly elections round the corner, health professionals in the field of cardiology, diabetology and nephrology suggest that instead of freebies, candidates can provide free screening tests (blood sugar, blood pressure, urine and creatinine) to people, to identify lifestyle diseases at an early stage.
Diabetologist Dr Manohar KN, chairman, of the Karnataka Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India (KRSSDI), explained that diabetes is the biggest cause of kidney-related ailments. India has the second highest number of people suffering from diabetes after China, hence it is important to keep an eye on parameters like blood/sugar levels regularly, he said.
The four tests combined cost around Rs 500 in a government-run health centre, and the cost will go down further if performed on a larger scale, Dr Manohar said.
Speaking at a press briefing organised by the Kidney Warriors Association, in association with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Indian Society of Nephrology (ISN), medical professionals highlighted that the prevalence of lifestyle diseases like cardiac arrests, kidney failure, diabetes or high blood pressure are inter-related. Many of them can be prevented if diagnosed at an early stage, they said.
Dr Arvind Kaneevaran, consultant nephrologist, transplant physician and co-founder, of Bloom Value Corporation, said that people in India do not have a concept of regular health checkups and do not have family physicians. Only in case of serious ailments do people end up visiting a doctor.
The panellists also appreciated the recently inaugurated Namma Clinics in Karnataka, which provide free consultations to people for basic ailments. Since treatment for these lifestyle diseases is expensive, a person who undergoes screening annually post the age of 30, can be diagnosed much earlier.