Hypertension, Diabetes: Revised treatment protocol distributed among health officers
The officials from the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive noted that there is no proper adherence to treatment protocols during field observations and random review of data on Hypertension and Diabetes.
Directorate of public health and preventive medicine
CHENNAI: The district health officials have been instructed to follow a single flow chart with a step-wise approach for treating hypertension and diabetes management at the primary care level.
Officials from the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive noted that there was no proper adherence to treatment protocols during field observations and collection of data on hypertension and diabetes in TN. Hence, blood pressure and glycaemic control is poor among patients.
Though institutional level screening protocols have been developed for hypertension and diabetes in 2010, and subsequently modified in 2016-17, and 2021, the adherence was found to be poor. Under the Non Communicable Diseases – Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam (NCD-MTM), women health volunteers, who were conducting population-based screening and follow-up of diabetes and hypertension in all districts, were given a flowchart.
To enable all healthcare workers in the primary care level to adhere to protocol, and also make it easier for them to understand different protocols, a comprehensive single flow chart was provided. It highlighted the standard operating procedures for screening, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of NCD-MTM patients at the primary care level.
Feedback was obtained from medical officers, staff nurses and field staff on these protocols from eight health unit districts, based on which they were modified, finalised and released by Health Minister Ma Subramanian during the 3rd International Public Health Conference at Thanjavur in October 2024.
Medical officers have been instructed to replace the old treatment protocol with this, and also display the ‘Comprehensive Step-wise Approach for HTN Management at Primary Care Level’ and ‘Comprehensive Step-wise Approach for DM Management at Primary Care Level’ in all Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) and Health Sub-Centres (HSCs). It should be displayed in the NCD corner visible to staff nurses, and each medical officer should be provided with both the protocols for their reference.