Medical experts hail Tripura's health initiative for non-communicable diseases Official

Agartala, Apr 19 (PTI) A research initiative for non-communicable diseases (NCD) in Tripura jointly conducted by various government medical agencies has earned appreciation from health experts, an official said on Sunday.
    The first phase of the campaign, Chief Minister's Niramay Arogya Abhiyan (CMNAA), was conducted from January 1 to January 21, to facilitate early detection and treatment of NCDs such as diabetes, hypertension, and cancer.
    "Systematic Tracking and Action for Research in Non-Communicable Diseases (STAR NCD) research project was held under the chairmanship of Health and Family Welfare Secretary, Kiran Gitte, here on April 17, where medical experts appreciated the CMNAA," state programme officer for NCD, Dr Abhijit Das, told PTI.
    More than 3.5 lakh people were screened for diabetes and hypertension, among whom over 70,000 hypertension patients and nearly 35,000 diabetes patients were identified, he said.
    According to him, oral cancer screening was conducted for over 1.98 lakh people, and more than 74,000 women underwent screening for breast, cervical, and oral cancers, including those already under follow-up and treatment.
    The STAR NCD project is an implementation research initiative jointly conducted by the National Centre for Chronic Disease Control (NCCCDC), AIIMS New Delhi, Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) & GBP Hospital, and the National Health Mission (NHM), Tripura.
    "The primary objective of this project is to strengthen various healthcare services and fill the gaps under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases", he said.
    He added that the focus was on various activities under the national programme for prevention and control of non-communicable diseases across the state.
    "The research team reported significant progress in the treatment of NCDs, including the provision of free medicines for hypertension and diabetes," the official said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)