Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra - An Opportunity for Screening for Non-communicable Diseases and to Raise Awareness and Empower Communities: A Brief Report

The Government of India initiated nationwide Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra (VBSY) which aimed to raise awareness about various government schemes and promote development across the nation. As a part of VBSY, the department of Community and Family Medicine at AIIMS Bilaspur (Himachal Pradesh) organized health camps at 21-gram panchayats in district. The health camps focused on screening for non communicable diseases (NCDs) and offered crucial health services to a diverse group of community members. A total of 439 participants, with mean age of 56 years, were screened. The screening revealed that 30.3 % and 07.5% of participants had hypertension and high random blood sugar, respectively. While some individuals were already aware of their conditions, a notable percentage had uncontrolled levels, highlighting the need for better management. Beyond screening, health promotion activities were also provided during health camps, including counselling of lifestyle modifications, dietary choices, and physical activity. Individual diagnosed with NCDs received immediate medical attention, prescriptions, and counselling on disease managment. VBSY also facilitated interactions where beneficiaries shared their experiences with government schemes. The VBSY brought multiple stakeholders to enhance health care accessibility and awareness in the region.