Local Government Launches Free Health Checkup Campaign for Citizens Over 30

Dhulikhel. The district's Mahabhar Rural Municipality has launched a campaign to provide free health checkups and necessary medication distribution to its citizens above 30 years of age.

Under the annual policy and program for the fiscal year 2082/83, the campaign, titled 'Mahabhar is getting better, are mother and father well?', began on Wednesday.

Rural Municipality Chairman Kanchhalal Jimba, inaugurating the campaign at the Bankhu Magargaun Health Post in Ward No. 6 Bankhu, stated that health checkups and health education counseling services will be conducted at the community level across 41 centers until the 28th of this month. "We are identifying and bringing under treatment those suffering from high blood pressure and diabetes who are hidden in the community and have not come under the scope of medical treatment," he said. "Furthermore, this program has been introduced with the objective of identifying kidney problems in time, referring them for treatment, and spreading awareness about healthy eating habits and non-communicable diseases."

Hari Singh Bisht, Chief of the Rural Municipality's Health Branch, stated that citizens here are currently undergoing regular high blood pressure testing, and those found with issues are receiving medication. According to him, 16 diabetes patients are under regular treatment. The services provided during the testing include checks for high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney function tests, and Body Mass Index (BMI) assessment based on height and weight.

On the first day of testing at the Bankhu Health Post, 141 people availed the services. Moreover, recognizing that non-communicable diseases incur significant costs for individuals, families, society, and the state, the municipality is also providing counseling services to make health checkups regular with the aim of early identification and risk reduction of diseases.

Under the free health checkup initiative, non-communicable disease testing was conducted on 1,907 individuals in the last fiscal year 2081/82. The municipality reported that 141 of those individuals are currently receiving free medication for non-communicable diseases provided by the rural municipality.