KATHMANDU, Dec 23: Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has launched an awareness campaign on 12 types of diseases over 12 months. The KMC has published an annual calendar and initiated the campaign to promote preventive healthcare services, focusing on raising awareness about 12 types of non-communicable diseases within the city over the course of a year.
Deepak Kumar KC, the chief of the Health Department of the KMC, stated that an awareness campaign is being conducted by designating each month as a special health month. He mentioned that the campaign has been initiated to implement health programs not only through the federal government but also at the local level.
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The KMC conducted health screenings for hypertension, diabetes, and kidney-related issues only in the month of Mangsir (mid-November to mid-December). According to the medical officer of the metropolis, Dr Deewash Neupane, about 30,000 individuals underwent screenings for hypertension, diabetes, and kidney-related issues through the Urban Health Promotion Centers in all wards of the metropolis.
The KMC is conducting campaigns designating specific health awareness months: Poush (mid-December to mid-January) as Respiratory Diseases and Tobacco Awareness Month, Magh (mid-January to mid-February) as Alcohol and Road Accident Awareness Month, Falgun (mid-February to mid-March) as Cancer and Reproductive Health Awareness Month, and Chaitra (mid-March to mid-April) a as Mental Health Awareness Month.
Similarly, in Baisakh (mid-April to mid-May), the campaign focuses on Eye Health, in Jestha (mid-May to mid-June) on Oral and Ear, Nose, and Throat Health, in Ashar (mid-June to mid-July) on Elderly and Disability Assistance Awareness Month, and in Shrawn (mid-July to mid-August) on Newborn and Child Health Nutrition and Breastfeeding Awareness Month. In Bhadra (mid-August to mid-September), the campaign addresses Hypertension, in Ashoj (mid-September to mid-October) it focuses on Diabetes, and in Mangsir (mid-November to mid-December), the campaign includes Kidney Health Awareness. The campaign on Healthy Eating and Healthy Living Awareness was conducted in Kartik (mid-October to mid-November).
Medical Officer Dr Neupane mentioned that the campaign, which started this year, could not be conducted on time due to Dashain, Tihar, and by-election. He stated that from now on, the awareness campaign will be conducted annually as a major campaign.
