Pilot project to control major diseases - Minister U T Khader

Pilot project to control major diseases - Minister U T Khader

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Sep 25, 2015: Health and Family Welfare Minister U T Khader has informed that a pilot project to control non-communicable diseases (NCD), including diabetes and cancer, would be implemented on a pilot basis.   The project will be implemented in Dakshina Kannada and Davangere districts under the Karnataka Health System Development and Reform Project, next week. It will be inaugurated at the Dr TMA Pai International Convention Centre in the City on October 5.

The minister said that more than 93 nurses have already been appointed on contract basis, as part of the project. Around 66 primary health centres, four taluk health centres and district hospitals in Dakshina Kannada will be used for the project - along with more than 70 primary health centres in Davangere.

The nurses will monitor the cases of NCDs like diabetes and cancer within their PHC limits. Along with investigation, insulin and high-dose medicines would be given free of cost. The nurses will also create awareness about healthy lifestyles, food habits as well as the effects and dangers of consuming tobacco products, with the help of Asha workers.

The funds, the minister said, the government had earmarked Rs two lakh to every PHC that would be used for the implementation of the scheme. The project will continue till March 2016, the government will later extend the projects to other districts.

He added that along with an inaugural ceremony, a programme would be conducted to inform and also train gram panchayat and taluk panchayat members on various health schemes. Projects like Arogyashri should reach the general public and there is a need for coordination among staff members in the implementation stage. The Health Department staff members in Davangere will also participate in the training sessions.

Khader said that the State government would carry out the second phase of the Mission Indradhanush - a Central government scheme for complete immunisation - 17 districts, including Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Kolar, from October 7 to 17. The immunisation programme will continue till January.

The programme provides vaccination for children aged up to two years against seven life-threatening diseases - diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles and Hepatitis B - against Haemophilus influenza type B (Hib) and also Japanis Encephalitis (JE) in selected districts. Although Dakshina Kannada has achieved around 95 per cent immunisation, some district have reached just 65 per cent. The vaccination programme would be undertaken with the help of Asha workers and primary health centres and so on.