Understanding the India Hypertension Management Initiative

• The IHMI focuses on five key components of scalable treatment.
• It supports the adoption of standardized treatment plans for managing high blood pressure and hypertension.
• The initiative ensures the regular and uninterrupted supply of quality-assured medications and allows health workers to distribute prescribed medications.
• IHMI aims to offer patient-centered services that reduce barriers to treatment adherence.
• It strengthens hypertension management and monitoring at the primary health care level, aligning with WHO’s Global HEARTS Initiative and National Guidelines.

The healthcare industry in India includes hospitals, medical tourism, health insurance, medical equipment, telemedicine, outsourcing, clinical trials, and medical devices. For more details about the Healthcare Sector in India, visit the linked article.

The Goals of the India Hypertension Management Initiative

IHMI aims to reduce disability and death due to CVDs by controlling the leading risk factors among adults in India. This includes improving the control of high blood pressure and hypertension through salt intake management.

The initiative's primary goal is to reduce mortality and morbidity due to CVDs, which are a leading cause of death in India. By improving the control of high blood pressure, CVD related deaths can be significantly reduced.

Despite 200 million adults in India having high blood pressure, control rates remain low. In rural areas, only a quarter of people with hypertension are aware of their condition, and only around 10% have their blood pressure tested and controlled. In urban areas, around 40% of people with hypertension are aware of their condition, but only 20% have their blood pressure tested and controlled.

Another significant healthcare scheme is the health protection scheme, also known as Ayushman Bharat. This scheme aims to provide health coverage for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation. Visit the Health Protection Scheme page for more information.

Candidates can refer to the detailed UPSC Syllabus for the prelims and mains examination at the linked article and accordingly start their IAS Exam preparation.

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