In view of the increase in lifestyle diseases, the government will set up a Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) clinic in the city next month.
Mysuru district surveillance officer Kusuma told The Hindu that the clinic, to be established at Jayanagar Community Health Centre, will be equipped with medical infrastructure for screening diseases, besides health experts.
The proposal to establish the clinic along with the NCD cell, which will come up in the office of the District Surveillance Officer, is a project implemented by the State and Union governments.
“The incidence of non-communicable diseases has seen a sharp increase during the last five to ten years. Earlier, only people above 50 years were considered susceptible to high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, and cardiovascular diseases. Now, even those in their twenties are afflicted by these ailments,” said Dr. Kusuma.
Mysuru district health officer Basavaraju said junior health assistants across sub-centres attached to primary health centres (PHCs) in the district will screen persons for non-communicable diseases, before recommending them to the NCD clinic. “Dr. Basavaraju said patients can walk into the clinic without recommendation.
The medical officers at the NCD clinic will advise patients of the treatment, lifestyle modifications and diet.
“We will treat patients as far possible at the NCD clinic to lessen the burden on K.R. Hospital,” Dr. Basavaraju said, adding that only serious cases will be referred to K.R. Hospital.
