Chittoor: District Collector Sumit Kumar has said that both the Central and State governments are taking special measures to safeguard public health, particularly by ensuring quality medical care for the underprivileged through government hospitals. He was speaking at a review meeting held with the project team and district medical officers on the implementation of the STAR NCD (Non-Communicable Diseases) programme here on Monday.

Highlighting the gravity of lifestyle-related diseases, the Collector noted that non-communicable diseases pose a major threat to the nation’s public health system, contributing significantly to illness, deaths, and economic burden. “Unhealthy dietary habits and lack of physical activity have fuelled the rise of lifestyle disorders across all age groups and economic classes,” he said.

Citing statistics, he pointed out that nearly 52 percent of deaths among people aged 30 to 70 years occur due to NCDs, which include heart ailments, chest pain, diabetes, and tuberculosis. To strengthen the control mechanisms, the Collector stressed the importance of proper training for medical staff, effective referral and follow-up ofNCD cases, accurate data entry, and establishing dedicated NCD clinics in all government hospitals.

He further announced that the district health department, in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), will soon roll out detailed action plans to enhance prevention and treatmentmeasures.