Diagnosis, screening systems needed to predict diseases at early stage: Sudhakar

Bengaluru: "While we have established systems to treat and cure diseases, we need to focus on creating screening and diagnosis systems to predict and prevent diseases at an early stage," said Health and Medical Education Minister Dr K. Sudhakar.

Speaking at the World Health Day programme organised at Arogya Soudha, Sudhakar said that clean atmosphere and clean food are the basic pillars of good health. "But our atmosphere has deteriorated due to air pollution leading to many lung and respiratory diseases. Excessive use of processed and junk food is leading to cancer, obesity and other lifestyle diseases. People come to doctor only after they start experiencing symptoms and damage has begun to their vital organs. We need to change this behaviour and increase awareness about non-communicable and lifestyle diseases. With the help of technology we can develop screening and diagnosing systems which can predict diseases at the early stage and thereby help people to take preventive measures."

"There are many professions in our society. But no profession gives as much satisfaction and contentment as medical profession. But this is possible if only we inculcate the values of service, compassion and love. We have 44,000 ASHA workers who are taking the government's healthcare services to people's doorsteps. I thank CM Basavraj Bommai for increasing the honorarium of ASHA workers. In the last two years we have completed all due promotions in the department. Our government has also focused on training of employees," said Minister Sudhakar.

Doctors must never compromise on their profession. Like IAS and KAS officers doctors must also develop administrative capabilities to ensure better efficiency in delivery of healthcare services and better management of hospitals. Previous governments never focused on training our doctors in administrative skills. But we will fill that gap," said Sudhakar.

He added that there is a demand to ensure parity in pay scales of State employees with those of central government. "Our government has already formed a committee to look into this matter. I will also request CM to ensure parity in pay scale for doctors and employees of health and family welfare department. We will also complete recruitment of vacant posts. We are planning a special drive to screen every person for eye ailments. We have also expanded our dialysis scheme to ensure it is accessible and affordable to poor people."

"We are planning to organise a big programme bringing together all 44,000 ASHA workers of the State. The Union Health Minister will also be invited to the event. We are taking measures to increase awareness about organ donation. Actor late Puneeth Rajkumar has become a role model for eye donation and number of people coming forward to pledge eye donation has increased. We will rope in other celebrities also to increase awareness about organ donation."