Thiruvananthapuram: The state government on Wednesday launched a comprehensive programme for finding out the prevelance of life style diseases among people above 30 years of age in six districts.
The programme will be implemented in Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kannur and Wayanad. An extensive screening programme will be carried out among the targeted group in these districts to assess the prevalence of life style diseases.
According to health minister K.K. Shylaja, as per the recent findings each household has either a diabetic or person with high blood pressure. This is clearly an alarming trend.
She said the decision to conduct population-based survey was taken in view of the increasing incidence of life style diseases. As part of the Amritham Arogyam programme, clinics have been started in family health centres and health sub centres for diagnosing life style diseases.
The idea is to have screening of people above 30 years of age for life style diseases including diabetes, blood pressure and hypertension. The screening programme is being implemented by health department in association with WHO, ICMR and Resolve to Save Lives organisation.
As per previous surveys, in urban areas the prevalence of heart diseases is as high as 12 per cent while in rural areas it is slightly less at 7.5 per cent. Heart problems continue to be the biggest challenge as far as life style diseases go.
Experts say about 20 per cent of all deaths taking place in the state are because of heart attacks.
The cardiac problem related mortality rate among 1 lakh population is 380 for men and 128 for women.
About 60 per cent of cardiac deaths in men and 40 per cent in women occur before 65 years. Nearly 20 per cent of the population is diabetic, they say.
