KOCHI: The national programme against lifestyle diseases, introduced by the Union Government in five districts of the state will soon be extended to the entire 14 districts under the funding of the state government.The lifestyle diseases programme, called the National Programme for the Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) was introduced in Pathanamthitta district last year, after which it was extended to Alappuzha, Thrissur, Idukki and Kozhikode. The state government has now extended the programme to the other districts with an outlay of `20 crore for 2012-13.The NPCDCS programme looks at systematic improvement in health infrastructure, training of health personnel, routine clinical check-ups, increasing health awareness and provision of free medicines.“Diabetes and hypertension will be taken up first, followed by cancer, cardiovascular diseases and other ailments in the programme. Procurement of drugs will be central. A sum of `8 crore has been set aside for the procurement of drugs which will be made available through the Kerala State Medicinal Supply Corporation (KSMSC),” said A S Pradeep, Additional Director of Health (Public Health) who is in charge of the programme.Raising awareness on lifestyle diseases will also be a major component of the programme. The areas of focus under this will be consumption of tobacco, intake of liquor, unhealthy diet practices and physical inactivity. The awareness campaigns will be conducted through schools, health counselling, work sites, community-level camps and mass media.One of the programmes devised to reduce tobacco consumption is the concept of smoke-free homes, brought out by the Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies of Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology, Thiruvananthapuram. The novel concept aims at identifying a few homes as tobacco-free and later extending the programme to more homes.
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