CATCH marches on strong, wins accolades as Sikkim inches closer to becoming healthier state

GANGTOK, 12 Jan: Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Annual and Total Check-Up for Healthy Sikkim [CATCH] programme has been highly appreciated by other states and even by the National Planning Commission, informs Additional Director [NCD Cell], Dr PM Pradhan, while adding that states like Gujurat and Himachal Pradesh have appreciated the programme and showed interest in adopting it for their states. Even the National Planning Commission has stressed that other states should follow this programme, he adds.
Addressing a press conference today, Dr Pradhan informed that since the launch of the programme by the Chief Minister on 26 August 2010, 92,600 persons have received the total check-up and that blood investigation has been done for more than 1.5 lakh people so far.
He informed that after receiving directions from the CM, the Department carried out the programme on a pilot basis by adopting 20 wards in East Sikkim in the early months of 2010. Five thousand people were covered and once the feasibility and benefits of the programme were established, the CATCH programme was extended to the entire State.
Dr Pradhan informed that taking the programme to a new area, it was discussed with the community and detailed background and information of the area, families and people residing there collated in a prescribed format.
He informed that the programme is now underway full swing and the department in the process of issuing health cards to the people and even the central government has issued directions to carry out compulsory tests for blood sugar of every person above 30 years of age and all pregnant women.
“So we have decided to cover East and South Sikkim within February with the CATCH programme, blood sugar test and also complete Ward Files, Family Folders and Individual Case Sheets,” he informed.
The Ward File will include information of the area [like common causes of death in the area, common ailments and such medical data], while the Family Folder will include these details family-wise and Individual Case Sheets, as the name suggests, will be for the individuals.
The process began for Gangtok on 06 January and is being carried out by 13 teams. These teams will fill up all three forms and then provide basic check-up with blood sugar tests and if some problems are identified, then the patient will referred be to the hospital.
He informed that the preparation and distribution of Health Cards will be taken up on a war-footing once all districts have been covered.
Dr. Pradhan stated that this health check-up is just the starting and not the end of the CATC programme as  continuous follow-up will be provided with service packages and referred to concerned health experts. He further added that the programme also includes initiatives for community mobilization to change unhealthy lifestyles.
About the findings, he informed that it was found that North Sikkim has more cases [on average] of hypertension and West Sikkim more cases of Malnutrition. He informed that East and South Sikkim will be covered with basic health check-up within this financial year.