Pilot Programme on NCDs Under Health Promotion Programme Among Army Personnel Launched in Jaffna

A pilot awareness project to prevent Army personnel from contacting Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) was introduced to the Army personnel at the Security Force Headquarters - Jaffna (SFHQ-J) on Wednesday (12) during one more phase of the Health Promotion Programme that got underway, following a new initiative, directed by the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake.  

The 3 1/2 month long project (July 10 to October 31), in which all Army personnel at SFHQ-J are to be screened and made aware of preventable NCDs such as high blood pressure, Cholesterol and sugar levels, heart attack risks, strokes, lung ailments, etc, has been spearheaded by Director General Army Medical Services, Major General Dr S.H Munasinghe, together with the Consultant Physician, Brigadier Dr A.S.M Wijewardene and several other specialists.

Under the Phase I of the Health Promotion Programme, Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps (SLAMC) personnel were trained by the medical staff for conduct of peripheral diagnosing practices and made them aware of the procedures.

The programme afterwards commenced to identify Army personnel with chronic NCDs after calling at all Army formations in the Jaffna Peninsula with the medical team where all of them were subjected to examining of Blood Pressure, Body Mass Index (BMD), Sugar levels, Cholesterol, etc before commencement of early treatment while advising them to change their life patterns.

On the same occasion, a special book that could record history of those NCDs was distributed among each member of the Army for reference purposes.

Brigadier Dr A.S.M Wijewardene on Wednesday (12) in a special lecture stressed the importance of a healthy diet, reduction of alcohol consumption and stoppage of smoking and various other means of maintaining sound health to reduce the incidence of NCDs.  

The conduct of the programme was supported by Major General E.M.M Ambanpola, Deputy Chief of Staff, Major General Udaya Perera, Commander (SFHQ-J), Major General S.H Munasinghe, Director General Army Medical Services, 4 Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps Commanding Officer, Palaly Military Hospital Commanding Officer and several senior officers.