Hypertension, diabetes cases shoot up by 75,000

COIMBATORE: The number of people getting medications from government health facilities in the district for hypertension and diabetes has gone up from 36,000 in 2017 to 1.4 lakh till date, according to data from the health department.
Among the 1.4 lakh people, a health department official said, around 75,000 people were identified through the Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam (MTM) scheme since August last.
Doctors attributed the sudden rise in cases to reluctance of people to get tested for hypertension and diabetes, and change in lifestyle of people during the pandemic.
Dr K Vijayakumar, district programme officer of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), told TOI, “According to the health department database, before 2021, only around 72,000 people were suffering from such conditions. Since the MTM scheme was launched, the department added 75,000 more people to the database. They will now be given medications for the conditions.”
Vijayakumar said several youths over 18 were found to be hypertensive or diabetic. “Many are unaware that they are suffering from hypertension or diabetes. Some are reluctant to get tested too. Untested people health may deteriorate over time due to the underlying condition. Under the MTM, women health volunteers (WHV) and multi-level health providers (MLHP) were roped in to conduct voluntarily testing,” he said.
Under the scheme, WHV and MLHP will provide 60-day stock of medicines for the newly identified 75,000 patients at their doorstep. After two months, patients must visit a healthcare facility for screening after which medicines will be given for another 30 days.
According to him, the department’s database now has a list of 72,633 hypertensives, 37,314 diabetics as well as 37,678 individuals suffering from both conditions.
Dr P Rathan, a public health expert in the city, said the new cases identified are just the tip of the iceberg. He said lifestyle changes, lack of exercises and altered sleeping patterns are main causes of these conditions.
Dr S Seralathan, the chief medical officer of the Periyanaickenpalayam government hospital, said, “People who are coming to the hospital for treating hypertension have gone up.”