The newly launched NCD centres at different peripheral and major civic-run hospitals -- Sion, KEM and Nair -- are helping people like Kumar in the early diagnosis and treatment of diabetes. (File)In 2020, 36-year-old Bhagwat Kumar, a resident of Dharavi, had to admit his father to Sion Hospital for diabetic foot. As high blood sugar damaged nerves and blood vessels, the limb ultimately had to be amputated.
His father’s pain left a lasting imprint in Kumar’s mind who earns his livelihood as an auto driver. But with blood tests being expensive, he could not afford to book himself one until he got to know about the Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) corner at Sion Hospital where any citizen can walk in and undergo diagnosis for diabetes, hypertension and high blood pressure for free.
When he visited the centre last week, Kumar found out that he was pre-diabetic. “I don’t want to lose my legs as I am the sole breadwinner of my family,” he said. At the centre, Kumar was assured that he won’t meet his father’s fate. “The doctors at the centre assured me that though my blood sugar levels are higher than normal, with proper lifestyle and healthy eating habit, I can avoid developing diabetes and get dependent on medicines,” said Kumar who is currently undergoing treatment from the OPD at the hospital.
The newly started NCD centres at different peripheral and major civic-run hospitals—Sion, KEM and Nair — are helping individuals like Kumar, who are 30 years and above, in early diagnosis and timely treatment. These corners cater to individuals and their kin who, while visiting a civic hospital for any healthcare requirements, can get themselves screened for diabetes and hypertension free-of-cost.
Since their inauguration on September 1, over 6,000 people have been screened at the NCD corners.
According to doctors, nearly 20-25 per cent of diagnosed patients have been found to be living with high blood pressure. Dr Pravin Rathi, dean of Nair hospital, said, “On a daily basis, we get over 70 people, of which nearly 20 per cent suffer from diabetes and 25 per cent from high blood pressure. A large portion of this comprises the younger group, between 30 and 45 years. Unhealthy lifestyle is a major reason behind it.”
As per the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), over 1 lakh patients in the city are suffering from diabetes and hypertension. But this could just be the tip of the iceberg as the civic body lacks cumulative data from private hospitals.
“We are hopeful that these centres will provide us with the data bank to formulate the health map and improve policies,” said Sanjeev Kumar, additional municipal commissioner, BMC.