For the first time a Holistic Wellness program for the underprivileged
Hyderabad, 20th September 2022: With Non-Communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension, Cardiovascular, Cancers, thyroid, chronic kidney disease, etc., reaching epidemic levels in the city, more so in the vulnerable sections, whose awareness levels and access to health care are inadequate, a city-based NGO, Helping Hand Foundation (HHF), in collaboration with Basheer & Sarwar Babu Khan Trust (BSBT), has launched a Holistic Wellness program for the less privileged.
The Holistic Wellness program is part of the larger prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) being run by the NGO in Urban slums since Jan 2022.
The Holistic Wellness program will have risk assessment as per WHO standards, wherein BMI, visceral fat, subcutaneous fat, and Base metabolic rate (BMR) will be measured to assess the overall health status & disease control in known cases of diabetes, hypertension or both and other chronic diseases.
Once the key health matrix is assessed, counseling will be done by a well-trained and qualified clinical nutritionist cum wellness coach. Customized diet plans and guidance on physical activity will be given to the participants, who are found to have high BMI, obesity along with NCDs.
Regular follow-up and close monitoring along with necessary lab tests will be done periodically to keep a check on key metabolic functions and pre-empt any complications that arise out of chronic diseases. Nutritional supplements like plant-based proteins, and vitamins, will be provided on a cost basis to the participants.
“I have reversed my diabetes after undergoing this program for about 6 months and we are attempting to reach out to the masses but more so to the vulnerable groups, who have poor awareness levels and access to basic health care,” said Mr. Mujtaba Hasan Askari of Helping Hand Foundation.
Interested patients can call HHF Helpline Tel # 092810 16359 and the counselors will assign the nearest wellness center closest to the patient.
Screening & Survey Data
In the last three months, the NGO conducted three screening camps at Hasanagar Slum, Chintalmet & Tadbund crossroads, where there is a high concentration of pushcart vendors and daily wage earners.
A total of 750 plus adults above the age of 30 years were randomly screened in the first-of-its-kind roadside camps by a team of doctors, dieticians, nurses, and paramedics.
28% of the sample screened were found to be healthy, 36% were found to be overweight with BMIs > 25.
20% were found to have grade 1 obesity with BMI 28 to 30, 7% with grade 2 obesity with BMI > 30, and 5% obesity grade 3 with BMI > 35.
Out of the 68% overweight & obese, more than half already were found to have morbid and comorbid conditions, mainly diabetes and hypertension alone or in combination, and the other half were at significant risk of NCDs in the future.
32% were having either Hypertension or diabetes, 21% had both diabetes and hypertension, and 8% of the vendors were found to have Denovo, unknown diabetes, or hypertension.
Interestingly about 25% of the above cases, presented with a condition called metabolic syndrome, in which blood sugar, blood pressure, and blood lipids are impaired.
