Doorstep health scheme uncovers high burden of lifestyle diseases in Dharwad

Dharwad,

A year after the launch of Karnataka's Gruha Arogya Yojana in Dharwad district, the government's door step healthcare initiative has brought to light the growing burden of non-communicable diseases, with more than 3.26 lakh adults screened for major lifestyle and chronic illnesses across the district. Data released by the District Health and Family Welfare Department show that 3,26,545 people aged above 30 years were screened for hypertension and 3,25,316 for diabetes between August 2025 and May 2026.

The programme has also facilitated treatment and follow up care for 61,413 people with hypertension and 41,024 people with diabetes through the public healthcare network. The scheme, launched on July 21, 2025, seeks to shift healthcare delivery from hospitals to communities by taking screening, awareness and follow-up services directly to people's doorsteps. The initiative covers a target population of 3.63 lakh residents aged 30 years and above in Dharwad district. Officials said the programme focuses on early detection and management of 14 major non communicable diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, oral cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), sleep apnoea, mental health disorders, neurological disorders and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Apart from hypertension and diabetes, the district has recorded extensive screening coverage for several diseases. Oral cancer screening covered 3,22,972 people, among those screened 50 people are receiving treatment for the oral cancer, while chronic kidney disease screening reached 3,02,384 individuals. Screening for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease covered 3,01,850 people and COPD screening reached 2,99,890 residents. Among women, 1,64,251 underwent breast cancer screening and 1,62,143 were screened for cervical cancer. The programme also screened 54,770 young adults aged between 19 and 29 years for anaemia.

Health authorities attribute the programme's reach to the extensive involvement of ASHA workers, who have been conducting door-to-door visits to identify eligible beneficiaries and motivate them to undergo screening at sub-centres and Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. Community Health Officers, PHC staff and medical officers subsequently provide diagnosis, treatment and referral services. Patients requiring specialised care are referred to taluk hospitals, district hospitals and higher healthcare institutions for advanced evaluation and treatment. Public health experts say the findings highlight the importance of large-scale community screening, as lifestyle diseases often remain undetected until complications develop. The programme's insists on early diagnosis and continuous monitoring is expected to improve disease control and reduce long-term complications among patients.

Speaking to News Trail, District Health Officer Dr Parshuram FK said, "under the Gruha Arogya Yojana, our primary mission in Dharwad district is the early detection and prevention of non communicable diseases. Often, conditions like hypertension and diabetes remain hidden, and tragically, citizens only discover them after suffering severe complications such as strokes or heart attacks. We firmly believe that prevention is fundamentally better than cure. " "By deploying our dedicated grassroots teams comprising ASHA workers, community officers, and health inspectors, we have successfully reached over ninety nine percent of our rural screening targets. During these extensive door to door check ups for citizens aged thirty and above, we identified a nineteen percent prevalence rate for hypertension against an expected twenty five percent, and a thirteen percent rate for diabetes against an anticipated fourteen percent," he said.