STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Team led by Dr Sushil Sharma, HoD Cardiology GMCH and SSH Jammu, reaching out to the people of Panchayat Gharota, Bhalwal Jammu and held a day long camp to aware the common populace about the ill effects of cardiovascular disease.
Accompanied by a team of young doctors, paramedics and volunteers, Dr. Sushil examined people of the area for prevalence of cardiac diseases and other health ailments.
More than 150 people were screened, evaluated, diagnosed and free medicines were given as per the requirements.
While interacting with the people, Dr Sushil said that often considered a ‘male problem’, Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for around 1 in 3 older women worldwide.
Gender bias, including by health care providers, can lead to delays in diagnosis and treatment-seeking discrimination bars some from accessing the health care services they need or renders them more susceptible to cardiovascular diseases. He added that it is very painful that there are certain alarming parameters on which women are fast catching up with men. One such parameter is the rising incidence of heart attacks among women. More women are falling prey to heart diseases, breaking the myth about men being at a greater risk. 16 to 20 per cent elevations in CVDs have been shown in among women in the last five years.
Dr Sushil stressed that the cardiovascular diseases are a major health problem among women and remain under-recognised and under-treated. CVD is also one of the leading causes of deaths in India. It has outgrown the boundaries of gender. The largest groups of women at risk of CVD are aged 35-44. CVD risk is as high amongst housewives as it is amongst working professionals. 69 per cent of housewives and 67 per cent of working professionals over the age of 35 in India are at the risk of CVD. Three in four women above the age of 35 who are overweight or obese are at risk of CVD. Eight in ten women above the age of 35 who are at CVD risk have low HDL. “Smoking, diabetes and high BP are other reasons putting women at risk of cardiovascular diseases. Sedentary lifestyles, stressful work conditions and compromised diet also contribute in accelerating heart disease risk. Exposure to household air pollution from using solid fuels for cooking substantially increases the risk of heart disease in women,” he added.
Most pathetic part of the problem is that women ignore their own health at the altar of other family members and are not aware of the extent of risk of cardiovascular diseases and are thus unable to take steps for a better heart health. He advised the first step to a healthy heart for women is to assess their current heart condition and hence the immediate need is to go for Evaluation of Heart Diseases.
Resident of the area Sarpanch Narinder Singh , Makhan lal and Manoj Sharma Applauded the efforts of Dr Sushil Sharma and his team for taking special care of the people belonging to their area and expressed hope that such kind of initiatives would be taken in the coming days for their panchayat .
Others who were part of this humane effort included Dr. Mohi Kalsotra, Dr. Dhaneshwar Kapoor Dr Anitipal Singh .Paramedics and Volunteers who were part of the team included Kamal Sharma, Kashmiri Lal, Rajesh, Rajkumar, Vikas Sabharwal, Gorav Sharma, Akshay Kumar, Shammi Thapa and Vikas Kumar.
