Noting with alarm the rising cases of hypertension in the rural areas, Minister for Panchayat Raj, Rural Water Supply, and NREGS Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu called for greater awareness among people on the disorder.
The Minister released a fact sheet on hypertension at a screening camp for hypertension and diabetes organised by the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) to mark World Hypertension Day at Makavarapalem in the district on Sunday.
The Minister said that the fact sheet would help increase awareness on the disease.
Unhealthy lifestyle like physical inactivity, consuming food rich in fats and sugars, alcohol and tobacco use led to increase in incidence of non-communicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes, District Medical and Health Officer J. Sarojini said. She urged people to shun these habits and lead a healthy life free from such diseases.
Non-communicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes affect the middle aged population disproportionately and this leads to decrease in the productive capacity of the country, site coordinator, UDAY, Public Health Foundation of India and consultant interventional cardiologist, Manipal Hospitals, Bhaskara Rao said.
He quoted results of baseline survey done by PHFI under project UDAY in Makavarapalem and Nathavaram mandals and highlighted that prevalence of hypertension was as high as 22.6 per cent and of obesity 25 per cent.
Health Workers from Project UDAY of Public Health Foundation of India screened the residents of Tamaram and Makavarapalem for hypertension and diabetes using a specially designed android application.
Rising cases of the disease in rural areas are a cause for concern
Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu
Minster
