IHCI currently has a steering committee chaired by Union Health Secretary and comprises stakeholders from partner institutions and WHO
India has earned a UN award for its "India Hypertension Control Initiative (IHCI)," a large-scale hypertension intervention under the National Health Mission. This is a notable achievement and acknowledgement of the country's efforts against hypertension.
In an official release, the Government of India (GOI) said IHCI has been recognized for its exceptional work within India’s existing primary healthcare system.
A collaborative initiative of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), State Governments and the World Health Organization-India, IHCI has won the ‘2022 UN Interagency Task Force, and WHO Special Programme on Primary Health Care Award’ at the UN General Assembly side event held on September 21 in New York, US.
Taking to Twitter, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya wrote, “India wins an @UN award for "India Hypertension Control Initiative (IHCI)" - a large scale hypertension intervention within existing primary healthcare system under National Health Mission. IHCI has strengthened PM @NarendraModi Ji's mission to ensure health & wellness for all.”
“IHCI is being implemented in 138 districts of 23 states. More than 34 lakh people with hypertension are taking treatment in Govt health facilities. This highly impactful initiative has received applause from the UN. We are committed to building a healthy and fit India,” Mandaviya further wrote.
IHCI has been able to leverage and strengthen the existing health care delivery system, hypertension control interventions and improve the linkages between populations-based screening initiatives with health care.
The initiative was launched in 2017 and expanded in a phased manner to cover more than 130 Districts across 23 States. Under the initiative, more than 34 lakh people with hypertension are taking treatment in government health facilities, including Health Wellness Centres (HWCs).
The project strategies are easily scalable within the health system. The strategies include a simple drug-dose-specific standard treatment protocol, ensuring adequate quantity of protocol medications, decentralization of care with follow-up and refills of medicines at Health Wellness Centres, task sharing involving all health staff and a powerful real-time information system which can track every patient for follow-up and blood pressure control.
Under IHCI, nearly half of those who were treated had blood pressure under control.
IHCI currently has a steering committee chaired by Union Health Secretary and comprises stakeholders from partner institutions and WHO. Another Technical Advisory Group (TAG) chaired by DG ICMR and Co-chaired by WR-India monitors and supervises the implementation of the initiative.
As of September 21, IHCI is being implemented in 138 districts from 23 states and has enrolled 34,53,452 Hypertension patients and 13,35,297 diabetes patients.
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