STATE : Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha launched the first phase of Strengthening Ambulatory Care for Non-Communicable Diseases (STAR NCD) yesterday at Gomati district hospital. This programme will run for the next three years. Detailing on this programme at a press meet at the Agartala Press Club today, Nikhil Tandon, professor of AIIMS, New Delhi said, this programme will be implemented as part of the National Health Research Priority Programme under the initiative of the Indian Council of Medical Research.

In the state, the programme will be implemented jointly by the Centre for Chronic Disease Control, New Delhi, Agartala Government Medical College, state Health and Family Welfare Department and National Health Mission. Under the program, the state health workers will be trained to diagnose diseases and various treatment methods. Among others present at the press meet was the executive director of CCDC Prof. (Dr.) Prabhakaran, Dr. Asu Grover and Dr. Rupa Shiv from ICMR and MD of NHM (State) Dr. Samit Roy Chowdhury. Apart from Gomati district hospital, this programme will be implemented in Faridabad in Haryana, Nagpur in Maharashtra and Chittur district in Andhra Pradesh.

At the press meeting, Prof. Nikhil Tandon informed further, that nowadays two-thirds of deaths are occurring due to non-communicable diseases. So, to detect such diseases in its initial phase this programme has been launched. This morning the delegation including Prof. Tandon visited some government hospitals in the Gomati district to take stock of the current state of these hospitals. He expressed satisfaction with the health set-up in the state and advised people in general to stay careful about their health.

It is noteworthy that a state-level committee has been formed to implement the STAR NCD programme. The committee headed by Dr. Sanjoy Rudrapaul, comprises Dr. Shubhankar Paul, Dr. Moutushi Deb, Tapas Saha, Swarup Roy, Jayanta Debnath and Gautam Bhattacharya.