NCD (Non-Communicable Diseases) Corners set up in various health complexes across the country including Sylhet are the ray of hope for the rural patients suffering from high blood pressure.
In addition to providing medical services in these areas, the database of patients is being stored through apps similar to the NHS (National Health Service) of the United Kingdom.
About 1,15,356 patients have been registered in these corners. Of them, 60% of the patients have hypertension under control, according to the National Heart Foundation (NHF) Bangladesh.
Dr SM Shahriar, civil surgeon of Sylhet, said that the patients are getting services from the NCD corner on the model of NHS in UK. All their information is being stored in the National Database. With the QR coded book, patients can get services and medicines from any NCD corner of the country.
Zainul Abedin, a senior staff nurse serving at Fenchuganj Health Complex's NCD corner, said that along with saving the patients' database through simple apps, BP stickers (QR codes) are added to the patients' service books. He said it is very helpful for follow-up treatment of the patient.
It was seen at the NCD corner of Fenchuganj Health Complex that farmers, laborers, and members of the upper and upper middle-class families are standing in line to check their blood pressure as well as taking medicine as per doctor's advice.
Physical Education (BPED) teacher of local Danaram High School Md Ashraf Ali told Dhaka Tribune that he had been suffering from high blood pressure and diabetes since last year.
“My blood pressure is improving gradually by taking free medical care and medicine from NCD corner. I am getting Tk800-900 worth medicine at free of cost every month,” he added.
Not only Ashraf Ali, but many others including Moinul Islam, 40, of Gayaspur village of the upazila and Sabana Islam, 34, of Pitaitikor village of Fenchuganj, takes regular treatment and medicine.
Fenchuganj Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer (UHFO) Dr Md Kamruzzaman said that a total of 6,231 patients have received treatment for high blood pressure and 1,386 for diabetes.
Apart from Fenchuganj, the people of neighbouring Balaganj, Dakshin Surma, Kulaura of Moulvibazar and Rajnagar upazilas are also getting health care facilities. People are getting not only treatment, but also life style modification advise, added the UHFO.
Hypertension in men and diabetes in women are more common in Fenchuganj, said, Umme Salma Liza, medical officer of the health complex.
Dr Shamim Zubair, deputy program manager of NHF-Resolve Hypertension Control Program, said, on an average of 8,332 patients are being registered every month in the NCD corners of these upazilas.
Research and advocacy organization Pragya (Knowledge for Progress) Media Advocacy is working with the help of international organization Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHI) to implement this pilot initiative in Sylhet division and to spread it nationwide.
Muhammad Ruhul Quddus, country lead of GHI, said that they are working with DGHS to expand the project at the community clinic level because the patients often come to the upazila headquarter at a cost.
The line director of non-communicable disease control program of the Department of Health, Professor Dr Md Robed Amin said that 200 corners will be set up this year while the remaining health complexes of the country will come to the coverage next year. “Our main goal is to prevent premature death through NCD corner by 2025,” he added.
National Heart Foundation Epidemiology and Research Department Head Professor Dr Sohel Reza Chowdhury said that the prevalence of high blood pressure can be reduced to a large extent if the project is expanded nationwide as a replicable model.
DGHS sources said 67% of deaths in the country are due to non-communicable diseases. According to their data, one in five adults (21%) in the country suffers from high blood pressure. The incidence rate of this disease among the rural population is 13.6%. To ensure the service of these patients, NCD corner was launched in 54 upazila health complexes of the country in 2018.