Need to promote the concept of preventive health screening in city, say doctors
With the burden of lifestyle diseases increasing dramatically in India in recent years, doctors at Columbia Asia Hospitals, Ghaziabad are advocating the need to inculcate the culture of preventive health screening among Indians to improve rates of early diagnose.
With an aim to further this goal, Columbia Asia Hospitals, Ghaziabad held a special multi-specialty health camp for residents of Kavi Nagar to encourage them to undergo preventive health screenings. The focus of the camp was to spread awareness about health.
Doctors from multiple specialties including Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Orthopedics,  Neurosurgery, Urology, and ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) participated in the camp and offered consultation and advice to a large number of people seeking medical help. The investigations offered at the camp included Random Blood Sugar, Blood Pressure, BMI, ECG, Audiology and Bone Density Test, among others.
A large number of residents attended the camp and sought medical opinions including many who sought second opinions from the participating doctors. The general health check up allowed the residents to take a stock of their overall health and gauge the need for any medical follow up.
“In western countries, annual preventive screenings are a routine part of most people’s life. They often help in spotting dangerous diseases early and ensure timely treatment and survival of the patient. In India, however, the culture of preventive health screenings is yet to take root. Forget preventive screenings, in our country most people even ignore symptoms and wait for them to resolve on their own. This is particularly true for women in India. In fact, at the health camp held in Kavi Nagar we spotted several resident with high blood pressure and blood sugar who were not even aware of their condition,†says Dr. Ashok Kumar.
Regular health screenings are especially necessary to check for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and several forms of cancers. An annual screening can help you keep aware of your body and its vital statistics.The Hospital also provided a bone density test to allow patients to check their bone health and take remedial measures if needed. Notably, osteoporosis is a highly prevalent condition in India.
“Many people are not enthusiastic about going all the way to hospitals to have a general health check up done. This is why we have arranged for a residential health camp which will take preventive screening to the doorsteps of people and encourage them to practice it. We often meet patients who have not had their blood pressures checked for years. This lackadaisical approach to health can be very harmful. Untreated chronic blood pressure can lead to strokes and heart attacks. A lot of people realize they are hypertensive after suffering such as episode. This is because often high blood pressure doesn’t manifest any symptoms also. With changing lifestyles, incidences of non-communicable diseases are rising in India. This makes it highly important for Indians to adopt the practice of preventive screenings,†adds Dr. Geetesh Govil.
Apart from investigations and consultation, the patients were also dispensed valuable advice on the need for maintaining a healthy body weight, indulging in regular physical exercise and undergoing regular tests for blood pressure and blood sugar.
