Health screening for local people in Mai Lam, Tinh Hai Communes and Bac Yen Village

Due to economic development, hypertension, goiter and diabetes has become the most common health problems among adults. According to sharing of Endocrinology Hospital of Thanh Hoa, the prevalence of goiter remains high in Tinh Gia district especially coastal areas where local people prefer to use fish sauce and sea salt (non-iodized salt). If the above diseases are early detected and promptly diagnosed, their serious complications or damages will be avoided or reduced.

Health screening for local people in Mai Lam

Therefore, Within the scope of Community Health Development project – Phase 3 (CHD3), health screening activity was designed to provide free screening on hypertension, diabetes and goiter for people at risk and improve their awareness on prevention and treatment of these diseases. Two health screening events were conducted in Mai Lam and Tinh Hai communes on 25th-27th Oct and 1st-3rd Nov, 2019 respectively that aimed to early detect hypertension and diabetes for people at the age from 40 to 60 and goiter for women at the age from 30 to 60 who are at risk of those diseases the most. Doctors from Thai Binh University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Endocrinology Hospital of Thanh Hoa and Tinh Gia district Center of Health were mobilized for the screening and health checking.

As a result, 528 people comprising 210 in Mai Lam and 318 in Tinh Hai and Bac Yen village were screened. In order to early detect hypertension, diabetes and goiter, eligible people were screened via process including weight/height measurement, blood pressure measurement, blood glucose diabetes test, thyroid ultrasound, general examination and counselling.

People were screened via process including weight/height measurement, blood pressure measurement, blood glucose diabetes test, thyroid ultrasound, general examination and counselling.

For those people who were identified with hypertension, they received medicine treatment if having health insurance.  If people were suspected to have diabetes or goiter, they were recommended to retake check-up at district general hospital and provincial endocrinology hospital. Following up after this activity, the project will implement other activities to raise community awareness of control and prevention of these diseases such as education and communication, training courses and medicine provision for poor people not having health insurance.

Through the events, local people expressed their appreciation to NSRP for bringing a meaningful activity to promote community health as well as NSRP’s good reputation in fence line communes