Chandigarh, October 28:
To further spread awareness among all the diabetic & hypertension patients of Punjab to adopt preventive measures and scheduled their diet and exercise routine, the Health & Family Welfare Minister Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu wrote letters to all such patients.
Giving details here in press communique, Mr. Sidhu said that considering the prevention is only the treatment of coronavirus, he decided to communicate with the patients personally by sending the letters. Besides preventive measures, symptoms of diabetes and hypertension, all necessary details to lead healthy and disease-less life provided in it. He said that Punjab Government has also launched the campaign titled ” Public Health Response to Covid-19: Appropriate Behaviour” to make people aware especially those who were suffering from co-morbidity.
The Health Minister added that the health department was conducting the screening program to diagnose the non-communicable diseases under which about 20 lakh individuals have been screened for hypertension and 11.5 lakh for diabetes. Apart from this, 17 lakh persons have been screened for oral, breast and cervical cancer.
The Minister stated that even the number of active cases of coronavirus rapidly declined in Punjab, the Civil Surgeons have been instructed to ensure the strict compliance of guidelines such as wear masks, follow physical distancing at public places and maintain hand hygiene in view of festival season. He said that he also directed the department to ensure that these letters to be delivered to all diabetic and hypertension patients within 15 days with the help of ANM and ASHAs.
Disclosing about COVID-19 status, Mr. Sidhu said that with the 93.8 percent recovery rate, Punjab led the national rate. Of the 161086 samples taken for the COVID test last week, only 3186 reported positive as the positivity rate of Punjab is just 2 percent. Further instructions have been issued to all districts to expedite the sampling/testing.