E N D I R A - Epidemiology of Non – Communicable Diseases in Rural Areas

The ENDIRA group carried out a house to house survey of all households in the panchayats of Mookkannoor, Karukutty, Thuravoor, Manjapra and Kalady. The intention was to assess the magnitude of non communicable diseases in the general population.

Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA’s) of the respective wards entered the details of individual families on to a questionnaire book. The ASHA’s also checked the height and weight of each individual in each family along with the residential and family details.

The disease conditions surveyed for included diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, chronic respiratory diseases, cancers, acute coronary syndromes (heart attack) and cerebro-vascular accidents (strokes). The questionnaire included use of tobacco products and alcohol as a query. The type of oil used for cooking was also included in the questionnaire.

In this way the survey of 5 panchayats which included 75 wards adding up to 113,462 individuals were entered on a computer software created for the same.

Simultaneously a school program called N2T-A (NO TO TOBACCO & ALCOHOL) was carried out in all the higher secondary schools in the 5 panchayats. Two CD’s of 18 and 17 minutes respectively depicting the harms of alcohol and tobacco use to the individual and society at large were shown in Classes V11-X of all the higher secondary schools.

As a follow up to the survey, the ENDIRA group intends to hold camps wherein each individual in the camps above the age of 30 years is tested for his blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure. The aforementioned 75 wards are divided into units of 5 wards for which an individual camp would be held. During the course of the camps audio-visual material on the ills of tobacco & alcohol, benefits of yoga, regular exercise and meditation and as to what constitutes a healthy diet. In addition to this eye diseases and mental illnesses will be screened for in the camps.

The camps are touted as “ROGA PRATHIRODHA” camps. What habits are to be inculcated in order to prevent the bane of “life style diseases” is what the camps would educate the public about. This over the course of time would make our society a healthier and happier one is our belief, helping us serve our motto “A HEALTHY FAMILY, A HAPPY FAMILY’’.