Diabetes screening for all above 30 years at 'Namma' clinic, says Karnataka Health Minister

Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar on Monday said that the State government has decided to implement measures to curb non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including diabetes, in the State, and every person above 30 years of age would be checked for diabetes through 'Namma' Clinics.

He said the government has decided to start 438 such clinics in urban areas to manage and check the increase of non-communicable diseases. "Such clinics are being started primarily to cater to people in slums and other areas where the poor reside. A database of people with and at risk of NCDs will be created after conducting mass screenings at Namma clinics. Around 75 per cent of diabetics are not receiving treatment.

Therefore, everyone above the age of 30 years is being screened for diabetes," Sudhakar said. Stating that more than 6,500 health and wellness centres have been started and that they would screen for diabetes, he said over 200 Namma clinics are ready, out of which 100 that are out of Bengaluru would be inaugurated by this month. Namma clinics in Bengaluru would be inaugurated after a week, he said.

Speaking at the Arogya City Summit here, the Minister laid stress on health check-up compulsorily once a year. Noting that 50 per cent of the State population has been screened for non-communicable diseases in the last three years, he said the government's aim is to conduct check-ups for the entire population in the next 18 months. Further pointing out that not a single nursing-GNM (general nursing and midwifery) institution has been licensed by the current government and that some are engaged in illegal activities, Sudhakar said the government would form a committee to conduct a review in all these institutions.

"In the previous government, some institutions were given permission without checking the infrastructure. There are around 850 colleges of nursing in the State. We from the government will form a committee to conduct a review in all these institutions," he said, adding that appropriate action would be taken after receiving a report from the committee.