Publication: Community-Level Screening and Referral Guidelines for Major Non-Communicable Diseases at Primary Healthcare Settings: From Development to Application at the Multi-site ‘NCDs Mega-Campaign 2024’ in Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Nepal
Date
2025
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Nepal Medical Association
Abstract
Abstract
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), mainly cardiovascular conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are the major causes of morbidities and mortalities worldwide, with lower- and middle-income countries (LMICs) bearing the highest burden. As the UN 25*25 targets near their final year and the Sustainable Development Goals approach their last trimester, NCD cases continue to rise, leaving a significant undiagnosed population submerged in the communities and households. In Nepal, a few initiatives have been made at the health-facility level over the past decade. However, they lack people-centric strategies and community-focused intervention with appropriate working guidelines. This article outlines the three-phase development of a community-level screening program in Kathmandu Metropolitan City, providing structured guidelines for health workers to screen and appropriately refer cases of hypertension, diabetes, and CKD, implemented during the large-scale community-based campaigns across 256 sites in Kathmandu Metropolitan in 2024.
Description
Milan Malla
Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Florida, USA
Richa Nepal
Diabetes and Endocrinology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine Medicine, Bir Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal
Sushant Regmi
Department of General Practice and Emergency Medicine, Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Lagankhel, Lalitpur, Nepal
Deewash Neupane
Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Florida, USA
Dhanendra Shrestha
Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Florida, USA
Saugat Bhandari
Patan Hospital, Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Lagankhel, Lalitpur, Nepal
Madhusudan Subedi
Department of Community Health Sciences, Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Lagankhel, Lalitpur, Nepal