Maharashtra's Health Check-Up Campaign Finds High Prevalence of Hypertension and Diabetes

Pune: The Maharashtra government's "Nirog Taryanchya, Vaibhav Maharashtrache" campaign, which aims to screen the health of men aged 18 years and above, has found a high prevalence of hypertension and diabetes in the state.

As of February 2024, the campaign has screened over 2.5 crore men in Maharashtra. Of these, 36 lakh men have been diagnosed with hypertension, and 4.45 lakh have been diagnosed with diabetes. Around 1.78 lakh are dealing with cardiovascular diseases whereas 73 cases of mouth cancer were found. 

The campaign is being conducted at various health facilities across the state, including primary health centers, community health centers, and district hospitals. It includes a comprehensive health check-up, including blood pressure, body mass index, and lipid levels.

In the Pune division, over 9 lakh men have been diagnosed with hypertension, and 75,500 have been diagnosed with diabetes.

The high prevalence of hypertension and diabetes in Maharashtra is a cause for concern. These conditions are major risk factors for heart disease, stroke, and other chronic diseases.

The government is taking steps to address this issue. It is providing free treatment to people with hypertension and diabetes under the Mahatma Phule Jan Arogya Yojana. It is also promoting healthy lifestyle habits, such as eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and not smoking.

What the campaign entails

The "Nirog Taryanchya, Vaibhav Maharashtrache" campaign aims to screen the health of men aged 18 years and above for the following conditions:

• Hypertension
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Lipid abnormalities
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Cancer

The campaign is being conducted at the following health facilities:

• Primary health centers
• Community health centers
• District hospitals
• Hindu Hriday Samrat Apna Davakhana