NEW DELHI:
Hypertension has been found to be the most common non communicable disease (NCD) which is screened across India in Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) followed by diabetes and cancer, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
So far, since its inception last year, a total of 1,33,84,332 women and men, aged 30 years and above have been screened for common NCDs at these HWCs. As per the data provided by the Ministry, 1,30,03,064 men and women have been screened for hypertension, in which 9,01,994 cases are newly identified while 22,69,192 are on treatment.
Diabetes is the second most screened NCD at wellness centres with 97,78,916 cases in which 8,90,663 are newly identified while 12,13,860 are on treatment. Among cancers, oral cancer is on the rise in India as 71,85,388 men and women have been screened since 2018 with 13,747 new identified cases while only 1,495 are under treatment.
Out of 1,33,84,332 patients, 16,67,090 are women patients who are diagnosed with breast cancer which comes second in cancer cases screened in HWCs with 12,098 as newly identified ones and 1,848 being treated. Cervical cancer has overall 12,26,799 cases with 11,923 newly identified while 872 are on treatment.
According to the Health Ministry, Andhra Pradesh has the highest number of HWCs with 1,361 currently operational. Tamil Nadu has set up 1,318 HWCs, while UP has 912. Karnataka and Kerala have 700 and 678 HWCs respectively.
The first HWC under Ayushman Bharat was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Jangla in Bijapur, Chhattisgarh on April 14, 2018. Since then 10,252 HWCs have been operationalised.
