India wins UN awards for initiative taken to Control Hypertension

India has won a United Nations (UN) award for its “India Hypertension Control Initiative. The initiative is a large-scale hypertension intervention under National Health Mission. At the UN General Assembly side event on September 21, 2022, the IHCI got the “2022 UN Interagency Task Force and WHO Special Programme on Primary Health Care Award”. 

The IHCI has been recognized for its unique and extraordinary work within India’s existing primary healthcare system. The award appreciates the outstanding commitment and action of India to prevent and control Non-Communicable Diseases and provide integrated people-centric primary care.

India wins an @UN award for "India Hypertension Control Initiative (IHCI)" - a large scale hypertension intervention within existing primary healthcare system under National Health Mission.

IHCI has strengthened PM @NarendraModi Ji's mission to ensure health & wellness for all.

— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) September 21, 2022

India Hypertension Control Initiative: Significance

1. The significance of the initiative can be identified by the fact that one in four adults in India has high blood pressure.
2. The initiative to control hypertension in the primary care system will contribute to reducing deaths due to heart attacks, kidney failures, and stroke. 
3. IHCI has improved the linkage between populations-base screening initiatives with health care.
4. It has also been able to support and strengthen the existing healthcare delivery system and hypertension control interventions under National Health Mission. 
5. Under the IHCI, about half of those who were treated had blood pressure under control. 

India Hypertension Control Initiative: About

1. The initiative(IHCI) was introduced in 2017 and regulated in a phased manner to cover more than 130 districts across 23 states.
2. More than 34 lakh people with hypertension under this initiative are taking treatment in government health facilities such as Ayushman Bharat Health Wellness Centres. 
3. The project strategies are easily ascendable within the health system.
4. IHCI comprises a simple drug-dose-specific standard treatment protocol, that ensures enough quantity of protocol medications, decentralization of care with follow-up, and refills of medicines at Health Wellness Centres.
5. The task done under the initiative involves all health staff and a powerful real-time information system that can keep a record of every patient for follow-up and blood pressure control.

What is India Hypertension Control Initiative(IHCI)?

IHCI is a multi-partner program of the Government of India’s Ministry of Health & Family Welfare,  WHO Country Office for India (WHO India), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and Resolve to Save Lives (Technical partner). The IHCI aggregate the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke (NPCDCS) of the Health ministry. The initiative expedites the achievement of targets of the government by ensuring a continuum of care and giving an uplift to the ongoing "Ayushman Bharat" program.

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