COPD, hypertension and diabetes detection drive planned in Tiruchi district

Health authorities will be organising awareness programmes and early screening for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) as well launching a service to detect hypertension and diabetes among workers in small commercial establishments in Tiruchi district this week as part of a Statewide initiative to integrate them under the Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam (MTM) scheme.

According to an official press release, the COPD programmes will be launched on June 4 under the supervision of the State Nnon-communicable Diseases (NCD) Section with the support of National Health Mission-Tamil Nadu.

COPD is a long-term lung disease causing persistent cough and breathlessness, especially common in people exposed to smoke and dust. Symptoms include chronic cough for over eight weeks, breathlessness during daily activity, wheezing or chest tightness and sputum production. Smokers, users of biomass fuels, and people working in dusty environments are at high risk of COPD.

The programme will involve the participation of all the 84 Primary Health Centres, including those under Tiruchi Corporation, that have been mapped to their nearest tertiary care centre and functional spirometry facility (Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital), said the release.

Spirometry tests will be available free of cost at designated centres. Monthly results of the screening would be reported to the State NCD Section.

On June 5, a programme to screen 25,571 workers in nearly 878 factories and small commercial establishments for hypertension and diabetes will be launched in Tiruchi district, covering the blocks of Lalgudi, Manapparai, Manachallur, Marungapuri, Musiri, Thiruverumbur, Thuraiyur, Thottiyam, and Tiruchi Corporation.

The firms with less than 1,000 employees were identified through the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health (DISH) for the programme.

The initiative will be implemented through the existing Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) – both Regular and Tribal – without deviation from the fixed tour programme by integrating workplace screening with routine outreach activities at the block level.

The programme aim at promoting early detection of hypertension and diabetes among labourers, and ensure timely referral of suspected/confirmed NCD cases to the nearest government health facility for further management.

Over 5 lakh workers had been identified for the programme throughout the State, said the release.

Published - June 02, 2025 06:54 pm IST