Non-communicable diseases or NCDs like heart disease, diabetes, cancers and chronic respiratory diseases continue to burden health services in the country. In 2020, NCDs accounted for more than 70 per cent of the reported deaths in the country. Unhealthy diets and physical inactivity are the main causes of NCDs. To combat this, local leaders in Punakha decide to work together in creating awareness about NCDs and the grim consequences.
The local leaders of the district including Gups, Mangmis and the Thromde Thuemi attended a day-long Public Health Awareness Programme recently. Bhawani Shankar, the Health Assistant of Kabisa Public Health Centre briefed the local leaders about the prevalent NCDs and preventive measures.
“People who don’t take nutritious foods on time, fail to do exercise, excessive salt and oil intakes are susceptible to NCDs. More importantly, physical exercise is the best medicine for non-communicable diseases,” he said.
According to him, NCDs have a tremendous risk to life. “If the patient failed to take the medicine and cannot keep the health in control, it will first affect the vision. Secondly, it will affect the kidneys and gradually it will affect the nerves. And failing to take medicine on time for blood pressure will trigger stroke”
The local leaders committed to taking the knowledge back to their gewogs and sharing it with the people during every public meeting. They also decided to create awareness about it at least once every month. The commitment will be strictly monitored by the Dzongkhag Tshogdu Chairperson hereafter.
“Just discussing here will not achieve anything. So, The Dzongkhag Tshogdu Chairperson and me along with Dzongkhag Tshogdu Secretary will monitor timely whether the local leaders are creating awareness and sensitizing their public about NCDs in their respective Gewog. We will see how we can help them if they could not carry out as planned. Therefore, we will follow it up diligently and report our achievement in future,” said Tshering Penjor, the Dy. Chairperson of Punakha Dzongkhag Tshogdu.
“Almost 30 per cent of our people are living with NCDs in my Gewog. So, it is high time that local leaders like us take extra initiative and control this disease by creating awareness among the people,” said Ugyen Karma, the Toedwang Gup.
“I am planning to create awareness of NCDs whenever I get an opportunity to meet with the public hereafter. I will explain to them as per the health advice about what all nutritious things should be taken; how to take care of the patients and how to take medicines on time by patients,” added Kinley Zangmo, the Mangmi of Talo Gewog.
However, like most plans, this also boils down to funding. Local leaders say they need a separate budget to conduct such an awareness programme.
“There is a need for a separate budget to buy equipment which will help in making sensitizing easier. And also we have to travel more than 15 kilometres sometimes to relay such important messages. It would be convenient for us if the health ministry could allocate a separate budget in writing for such health activities in Gewog,” said Kencho Wangdi, the Guma Gewog Mangmi.
How the separate budget will come along is anyone’s guess. But looking at the current situation, it will be a wild guess. There was no fund to even conduct this day-long awareness programme for the local leaders. The funding was done by the Dzongkhag Tshogdu Thrizin from his own pocket. He says it’s his Travel and Daily Allowances (TA/DA) from a similar workshop he attended in Paro a few days ago.
Changa Dorji, Punakha
Edited by Sonam
