The Health department will start a State-level heart health campaign, titled “Hridayasparsham”, as part of World Heart Day observance, according to a statement by Health Minister Veena George.
The campaign aims at the early detection and treatment of cardiac diseases, heart disease prevention and provision of first aid measures during a heart attack or delivery of CPR in the event of a cardiac arrest etc. ECG and Troponin T test will be provided free of cost as part of the campaign.
In the first phase, auto rickshaw, ambulance and taxi drivers and volunteers will be given training in first aid measures. The training programme is being planned with the help of medical colleges and Kerala Heart Foundation, the statement said.
The campaign will be inaugurated by the Health Minister at Thrissur Government Medical College Hospital on Friday.
Heart health has always been a priority for the Health department and the State is already implementing a screening programme for the detection of risk factors such as high blood pressure and diabetes in the community.
The department, as part of Aardram lifestyle screening programme, has screened over 1.48 crore people above 30 years in the State
The Health department is already in the process of setting up catheterization (cath) labs across districts. Already, 11 cath labs have been made functional. Steps are being taken to establish a cath lab at Idukki soon.
Coronary care ICU has been readied in 12 district hospitals and necessary equipment for the early detection of heart diseases has been arranged in almost all major public hospitals. At taluk hospitals, the test to detect heart attacks early, utilising Trop T analyser, has been initiated.
The department is in the process of delivering emergency care for heart attack victims, especially those with the more serious ST elevation myocardial infarction, through a hub-and-spoke model, Ms. George said.
