Srinagar, Feb 24: Given the burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), the Health Department Kashmir has started an intensified NCD screening campaign during which health workers will screen all individuals aged 30 years and above.
The campaign, aligned with the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare’s national initiative running from Feb 20 to Mar 31, 2025, focuses on detecting hypertension, diabetes, respiratory illnesses, and three common cancers (oral, breast, and cervical).
The department has initiated screening camps in hospitals to detect NCDs to achieve 100 percent screening. NCDs are the major cause of death worldwide but are preventable.
Dr Samina Gul, Nodal Officer, NCDs, Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK) said preventive and promotive healthcare is important and screening plays a pivotal role.
“Early detection through screening allows for more effective treatment. This campaign aims to detect diseases at an opportune time,” she said.
The activities are done under the National Program for Prevention & Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD). Health officials said when the diseases are detected patients would be made aware of the treatment and precautionary measures.
Dr Samina said that once the screening is done, the department will have a database that will help in future policymaking and other required interventions.
“Health workers are visiting the Health and Wellness Centres across the valley where NCD screening camps are being held to detect the diseases on time,” she said.
During the awareness campaign, patients would be encouraged to focus on prevention like avoiding smoking, avoiding salt, etc. living an active lifestyle, and eating fruits and vegetables.
“Due to an inactive lifestyle people are involved in NCDs and these are life-threatening if the disease goes uncontrolled. We have been promoting healthy and active lifestyle over the years,” she said. The initiative aims to lower healthcare costs and enhance quality of life for individuals.
Every district hospital has NCD clinics where diabetic and hypertension patients are registered and given free-of-cost drugs besides there are counselors for the patients.
When the nationwide campaign started, the Health Ministry asked States and Union Territories (UTs) to ensure availability of essential medical supplies, including BP monitors, glucometers, and necessary medications at all healthcare centers.
Officials said that the data on screening, treatment, and follow-ups will be uploaded daily on the NP-NCD Portal, ensuring transparency and accountability. Nodal officers will facilitate seamless execution of the campaign.
The four major NCDs are cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) and diabetes which share four behavioural risk factors – unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, and use of tobacco and alcohol.
In 2023, the Health Ministry renamed the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) to the National Programme for Prevention & Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD).
As per the WHO, NCDs also known as chronic diseases, tend to be of long duration and are the result of a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioural factors.
