The world health day in Gelegphu was marked at Tali Dratshang. Health officials conducted awareness on non-communicable disease and its prevention. Some 80 monks were present.
Since hypertension was the theme of the day, health officials checked blood pressure, sugar level and Body Mass Index of the monks and the people present.
More than 100 people were checked, of which eight were detected with high sugar level, 35 were found to be overweight, 11 were obese and one was underweight.
26 people were diagnosed with hypertension.
Every day, the national referral hospital in Thimphu, sees more than 400 people living with hypertension.
As per the survey of 2007 carried out in the rural pockets of the country, 26 percent of all adults are living with hypertension. This means, in Thimphu, over 20,000 people are living with high blood pressure, many above the age of 40.
According to Dr.Tashi Wangdi, a medical specialist in Thimphu, blood pressure can be fatal if not treated on time.
However, he said hypertension is a highly preventable disease.
