The need to set up dedicated hypertension clinics for early screening and treatment emphasised at the launch of MGM Healthcare’s Hypertension Centre of Excellence organised in the city on Saturday.
Inaugurating the centre, Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan said non-communicable diseases had been neglected during the pandemic. To give more impetus to diagnosis and prevention of non-communicable diseases, the State government introduced healthcare schemes such as “Varummun Kappom” and “Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam”. Nearly 55.99 lakh people were covered under the schemes. About 34 lakh of them were diagnosed with hypertension. Both communicable and non-communicable diseases were challenges that needed to be addressed, he said. The State government and private sector must work together to provide quality healthcare, he said.
Noting that hypertension was a silent killer and often did not get adequate focus, A. Muruganathan, Managing Director, AG Hospital, and former president of Hypertension Society of India, said the centre must initiate a hypertension fellowship programme for physicians.
Speakers underlined the importance of lifestyle modifications. Actor Prasanth, who is the brand ambassador of the centre, spoke on the importance of stress management. Swamikannnu M., Director and senior consultant, Internal Medicine and Allied Sciences, MGM Healthcare, and Sreevidya Venkatraman, senior consultant, Internal Medicine, MGM Healthcare, spoke.
