Cases of non-communicable diseases rising in Rajasthan

Jaipur: Despite preventive and medical care, the number of cases of non-communicable diseases like diabetes and cancer were rising in Rajasthan since 2008, a state government official said today.

Out of 48.78 lakh patients screened for non-communicable diseases (NCD) in the state as of October 2014, 2.39 lakh patients have been suffering from diabetes and 1.94 lakh of hyper-tension, Principal Secretary Medical and Health Mukesh Sharma said while addressing a meeting here.

These patients were being given treatment at various hospitals in the state, Sharma said.

Speaking on the occasion, Director of Union Health Ministry Rajiv Kumar said the patients in the age group of 30 to 70 years were dying due to NCD in the country.

In the year 2012, more than three crore people died of NCD, about 80 per cent of the total deaths, Kumar said.

Rajasthan had 2.43 lakh registered patients of NCD in 2008, which increased to around 3.81 lakh in 2012, and in 2013 this figure was 5.95 lakh, he said, adding this year as of October 2014, the NCD figure was over 4.33 lakh.

For NCD diagnosis and treatment, Rajasthan has selected seven districts including Jaisalmer, Barmer, Jodhpur, Bhilwara, Nagaur, and Sriganganagar, and from this year the national NCD programme was extended to five more districts including Alwar, Tonk, Baran, Banswara, and Bharatpur, he said.

The state put a target to reduce use of tobacco by 25 per cent by the year 2025 through public awareness programmes. Pepole would be advised to minimise the use of alcohol, salt, and sugar to avoid NCD, besides changing their lifestyle and food habits, according to the minutes of the meeting.