New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS) More than 1.11 crore hypertension or blood pressure, and 64 lakh diabetes cases were diagnosed and are actively under treatment from January to June, the government informed on Tuesday.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, the Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Prataprao Jadhav, shared that nationwide screening and treatment for individuals aged 30+ has been implemented under the National Health Mission (NHM) as a part of Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC).

“A total of 1,11,83,850 cases of hypertension have been diagnosed and under treatment between January and June, while 64,11,051 cases of diabetes have been diagnosed and under treatment during the same period,” the Minister said.

The National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD) is a key component of CPHC.

“The Programme focuses on strengthening infrastructure, human resource development, screening, early diagnosis, referral, treatment, and health promotion for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), including hypertension and diabetes, as per need and proposal from the State and Union Territories. Under the programme, 770 District NCD Clinics, 233 Cardiac Care Units and 6,410 NCD clinics at Community Health Centres have been set up,” Jadhav said.

“Patients diagnosed with hypertension and diabetes under the NP-NCD programme are provided free access to medicines and regular follow-up services at different levels of health facilities,” he added.

While essential drugs for hypertension are available at all levels of care — Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM), Primary Health Centres (PHCs), and Community Health Centers (CHCs).

Further, monthly follow-ups are also facilitated through the NCD portal, with scheduled visits recorded and medicines dispensed accordingly, and referral mechanisms are in place for patients needing specialised care.

Separately, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched a nationwide NCD screening campaign, including hypertension and diabetes, between February and March to achieve universal screening of individuals aged 30 years and above, the MoS said.

–IANS

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