E-Paper
61K men with health ailments identified during health campaign
Out of these 61,551 men, 60,995 have been referred to higher centres for medical management and 556 have been referred for surgical management to tertiary care facilities
PUNE
The public health department during its healthcare drive has identified 61,551 men aged 18 years or above suffering from various health ailments in the Pune district. The district health department had screened 3.84 lakh men under the ‘Nirogi Aarogya Tarunaiche Vaibhav Maharashtrache’ (NATVM) initiative kick-started in September this year.
Out of these 61,551 men, 60,995 have been referred to higher centres for medical management and 556 have been referred for surgical management to tertiary care facilities. Most of the men have been diagnosed with non-communicable diseases like hypertension, diabetes, obesity and some cases of cancer. Patients diagnosed with a hernia, cataracts, cysts, glaucoma, hydrocele and cancers amongst others are referred for surgery, the officials said.
The NATVM programme was launched on September 12 and will continue till the end of the year. The programme has been started with the aim of early identification and treatment. Earlier the state government conducted two programmes—Mata Surakshit Tar Ghar Surakshit Abhiyan and Jagrul Palak Tar Sudhruk Balak under which all women aged above 18 years and children below 18 years were screened for health ailments respectively.
Dr Nagnath Yempalay, the district civil surgeon of Pune district, informed the Asha workers, community health workers conduct door-to-door visits and the eligible population in the general public is screened.
“Patients suspected of suffering from health ailments are referred to rural hospitals or civic-run hospitals in municipal corporation areas. Depending on the ailments, in cases of NCDs they are included in the NCD control programme and put on medication. In case surgical intervention is required they are referred to district hospital, Sassoon Hospital or other tertiary care hospital,” he said.
Dr Yempalay further informed that the programme helps to cut down morbidity and mortality as ailments are diagnosed at an early stage in the patients.
Dr Radhakishan Pawar, deputy director of health services, said, all treatment surgeries and medication is provided free of cost to the patients diagnosed with ailments during the NATVM programme. “Patients in need of specialised doctors are referred to medical colleges for surgeries or treatment. If required the patients are referred to private hospitals which are empanelled under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (PMJAY) scheme and the treatment and surgery are provided free of cost,” he said.
