The Times of India          29.11.2013

Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation to take on lifestyle diseases with central funds

AHMEDABAD: In order to spruce up urban health centers in the city, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has been promised a grant of Rs 45 crore in the coming year by the central government. The focus of the AMC would be improving facilities at the centres and capacity building of its medical staff to deal with lifestyle and non-communicable diseases.

The AMC plans to set up 18 additional urban health and community health centers. The place for at least seven health centers has been earmarked, claim AMC officials. The AMC department requires more than 60 staff nurses and pharmacists. Besides, the civic body also plans to increase the number of nursing homes from nine to 15. "We would be introducing more sonography machines and even facilities for performing complex pregnancy-related surgeries. The Union government funds will largely address these issues," claims a senior AMC official.

Apart from this, major emphasis will be on treating lifestyle diseases. The AMC is also training its existing doctors to detect cancers in its initial stages - especially cervical and breast cancers. In addition, the doctors will also be trained to detect early symptoms of heart attacks, diabetes and hypertension. The first batch of AMC doctors will be sent for training at Tata Memorial Centre in Mumbai.

A recent survey of slums in the city by AMC found that a considerable number of people suffer from lifestyle diseases. Of the 1.2 lakh men and women screened, the survey found that 16% were on the brink of becoming diabetic. "As far as the cancer training is concerned the Gujarat Cancer Research Institute (GCRI) had offered to conduct workshops for our health personnel," an official said.