25,000 MSME workers in TN's Tiruchy to be screened under health scheme
TIRUCHY: Amid rising concerns over undiagnosed health issues among the working population, the Tiruchy health department will begin screening more than 25,571 workers employed in 878 small-scale business establishments across the district.
It is likely to begin in June. This initiative comes under the expanded Workplace-Based Communicable Disease (NCD) screening programme, a key component of Tamil Nadu government's 'Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam' (MTM) scheme.
Following a recent announcement in the Legislative Assembly, it was said that the workplace screening services for NCDs would be scaled up to include small business establishments across the state.
The expansion aims to bridge the healthcare gap for workers, particularly those in micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Factories, industries, and companies with fewer than 1,000 employees have been identified for the screening drive, based on data provided by the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health (DISH).
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The Hindu
20 hours ago
- The Hindu
The cheapest way to prevent NCDs: reducing salt consumption
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 70% of deaths in low- and middle-income group countries are due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Poor lifestyles, smoking, the use of alcohol, lack of exercise, air pollution, and other factors contribute to this figure. It is of paramount importance to prevent NCDs, as their treatment can be a huge burden to the health budget of a country. One of the easiest and most cost-effective ways of preventing NCDs is reducing salt consumption in the population. Salt consumption, the WHO says, should be less than 5 grams per day from all sources: this includes natural sources, salt added while cooking, and hidden salt in processed and packaged food. Indians consume way above the recommendation at around 8 to 11 grams per day. It is important to clarify the confusion between sodium and salt. Two grams of sodium is equal to 5 grams of common salt. The relationship between salt and blood pressure is well known. High salt intake leads to increased blood volume, and unless the endothelium (lining of the blood vessels) produces nitrous oxide, the blood vessel fails to dilate, leading to hypertension. This is called salt-sensitive or resistant hypertension and is genetically determined. However, what is not common knowledge is that salt-resistant hypertension can become salt-sensitive over time. High salt in the absence of hypertension can also lead to endothelial dysfunction. All NCDs have a common pathology of blood vessel damage. The ill effects of hypertension: contributing to heart attacks, strokes, and kidney failure are well known. And so, it is essential that salt intake is followed to the recommended level even in the absence of hypertension. What the research says There are more than 100 studies that have shown the benefit of salt reduction in the population. Studies from Japan, Portugal, and Finland are the oldest. A study from the U.K. showed a reduction of strokes by 24% and heart attacks by 18% when salt intake was reduced. The latest and the largest study from China, showed a considerable reduction in strokes with the use of low-sodium salt substitutes. The other ill effects of salt, such as kidney stones, worsening of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), stomach cancer, and osteoporosis, must be included in the benefits of salt control. How to control salt consumption The first step is creating awareness at all levels of the general population, health providers, the government, and food manufacturers. The best way to find out daily salt consumption is by estimating urine sodium over 24 hours. In general, the salt we eat is removed from our urine. Only a very small quantity is lost in faeces or sweat. It is a common misconception that with increased sweating, the body requires more salt: only more water is required. Unfortunately, only about 3,000-odd people have been studied for urinary sodium excretion, which is miniscule considering our population. Studies using dietary recall are not reliable, however, knowing the average family consumption may help to monitor and advise accordingly. Salt meters have been used in some countries but do not help in determining salt in traditional Indian foods. Studies from our country still show that the majority of salt is added while cooking at home. But this is likely to change, since eating out and consumption of packaged food have been on the rise. The average person cooking at home needs to be educated on the skill of lowering salt through the use of spices and condiments to improve taste. More salt is not required to improve taste. On the contrary, salt is a dominant taste and masks other flavours. The saltshaker need not be displayed on the table, since it is often used without tasting the food. Taste is often an acquired habit, and desensitisation may help with this. Eating out is another source of salt intake with poor control. This has increased with families becoming small, and where both or all adults are working. The Sapiens Health Foundation in Chennai, which has been campaigning for low salt intake for the past 15 years, has successfully persuaded several restaurants to not display saltshakers on the table. The public procurement of food is also an area where salt can be controlled. Midday meals at schools should be an important target. The benefit of this can be immense since the habit is inculcated from childhood. The United Kingdom, for instance, has a very strong policy where meals in schools are served without salt. There is also a lack of awareness about how much salt children require. It is only by the age of 12 that they must reach the recommended intake of 5 grams per day. The transport sector is an important site of public procurement of food. For instance, travellers buy fresh food from stalls at railway stations. Unfortunately, a majority of the airlines serve packed food. These are areas that need to be looked into. The need for food labelling The government plays a very important role in controlling the salt intake of the population. Here, food labelling is crucial: labels for sodium should be made mandatory. Labels need to be on the front of the package and need to be clear and legible. Food labels should be marked for high salt content since the common man may not be able to interpret the sodium content. Signal labelling, using red to indicate high salt has been used successfully in the UK. The government can also increase taxes for high-salt items just as it has for cigarettes. Creating awareness in the population is another step and should be taken up by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has initiated the 'Eat Right India' movement which is a collaborative effort with multiple sectors. These, and more, are needed to build awareness around reducing salt consumption. The food industry has to gear up to reformulate food items. Low-salt alternatives for popular brand snacks should be freely available. We should take a leaf out of the UK's book where, for 10 years, the salt content in bread was reduced slowly and progressively without most people realising it. The acceptance was widespread. Lastly, salt substitutes, although available in India, are not popular. They have varying levels of sodium being replaced by potassium. Normally, in up to 20% of this replacement, there is no difference in taste. The only concern with this is in people with kidney impairments, as it may produce hyperkalemia or high serum potassium. The WHO has recently released guidelines on the use of low-sodium salt substitutes. Low sodium salt substitutes should not be confused with other sodium salts in the market such as rock salt or pink salt, which still contain high sodium and have no benefits; on the contrary, they are non-iodised and might lead to iodine deficiency. Salt targets must be set every three years so that ultimately, we achieve the WHO goal of 5 grams per day. The large-scale implementation of a campaign to reduce salt/sodium intake among the population remains the best and most cost-effective way to reduce strokes, heart attacks, kidney failure, and other NCDs. (Dr. Rajan Ravichandran is director, MIOT Institute of Nephrology, Chennai, and founder, Sapiens Foundation.)
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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Business Standard
Chronic illness at 36? Your job might be the most expensive thing you own
As salaries rise and insurance benefits get more sophisticated, a new report by Plum, an employee health benefits platform, warns that health in India is deteriorating faster than ever—and companies are unprepared for what's coming. Plum has released its Employee Health Report 2025, and the findings are nothing short of a wake-up call. Chronic illness is hitting Indian professionals before age 40, burnout is driving 1 in 5 employees to consider quitting, and mental health concerns are going unaddressed, especially among men. The report draws from 100,000+ telehealth consultations, 25,000 insurance claims, 1,998 health camp participants, and 512 employee surveys, offering a rare, data-backed look into the true cost of inaction on employee health. Here are the key findings: The economic time bomb: With over 600 million Indians under age 35, India should be reaping the benefits of a demographic dividend. Instead, the report shows: Chronic illnesses are striking a decade earlier than in developed nations, often by age 40 or sooner The median age for cardiology consults is just 33, underscoring a troubling trend of early-onset chronic illnesses among India's working population. Plum's data reveals a consistent pattern across the onset of major health conditions: 32 – Heart disease 33 – Cancer 34 – Diabetes 35 – Chronic kidney disease 36 – Cerebrovascular disease (strokes, ischemia) This early onset not only threatens individual well-being but also puts long-term pressure on workforce productivity, healthcare costs, and India's economic potential. The result is staggering: chronic disease costs companies up to 30 days per employee every year in productivity losses and disengagement. 40% of employees take at least one sick day each month for mental health reasons, and 1 in 5 are considering quitting due to burnout. 2. The screening shortfall: Why India's silent crisis remains unseen Despite the growing burden of disease, only 20% of companies offer regular health check-ups, and even when available, just 38% of employees use them From Plum's health camps: 63% had high or elevated blood pressure (31% Stage 1, 18% Stage 2 hypertension) 38% had high cholesterol, 17% were clinically obese, and 11% were pre-diabetic 71% were found to be at moderate risk of NCDs, while 5% required urgent medical attention 3. Mental health, burnout and a workforce in crisis 20% of Plum's telehealth consults are mental health-related, with anxiety being the leading concern Only 14% of the workforce is thriving, compared to a global average of 34 % - Gallup's State of the Workplace report. The data also shows a gender divide in access and stigma: Men dominate healthcare utilisation (58%) in the 30–49 age group, yet are less likely to seek mental health support Women in the 50–59 age group account for 68% of benefit utilisation — a trend shaped by both biology and society. On one hand, this is the typical age for menopause and perimenopause onset, bringing a surge in health needs. On the other, years of deprioritising their own health due to caregiving roles often leads to late detection and more severe conditions, finally pushing them to seek treatment. 4. Men Are Not Speaking Up Until It's Too Late Men are disproportionately at risk for early-onset chronic diseases Heart disease is appearing in men as early as 32 years, highlighting a need for early detection and proactive care Despite the data, preventive screenings and early interventions remain low across both genders, particularly among men Mental Health: The Cost of Stigma and Inaction Men make up 47% of insurance claims, yet only 46% of telehealth users, indicating a significant reluctance to seek help early When men do seek mental health support, they report 54% higher symptom severity in their first session—suggesting delayed intervention The drop-off rate after the first consultation is 42% higher among men compared to women Men are overrepresented in high-stigma conditions like OCD (69%), ADHD (63%), and addiction (89%), yet often don't pursue sustained care—further deepening the mental health gap 5. Women are underserved on reproductive and hormonal health 23% of women's telehealth consults were related to reproductive health, 32% to hormonal health, and 18% to menstrual issues 42% of women work through period pain without accommodations 70%+ of women say current health benefits do not meet their real needs 6. Rethinking value: Insurance alone won't solve this India Inc has made progress, with a 100% increase in startups and enterprises investing in preventive and flexible healthcare, but gaps remain: Only 34% of companies offer benefits aligned with what employees truly value 1 in 3 employees say they don't even have the time to care for their health Plum calls for a shift from 'coverage' to 'care', through a preventive, personalised and participatory model For every ₹100 invested in health, companies generate ₹296 in healthcare savings for employees, proving that employee health is not just ethical, it's economic. "We need to urge companies to think of healthcare beyond the transactional nature of insurance," said Abhishek Poddar, Co-founder of Plum. "True employee well-being lies in providing access to holistic healthcare solutions that encompass mental, physical, and social well-being. Our report underscores the urgency for a comprehensive approach that empowers employees to take charge of their health journey, including addressing the specific mental health needs of different demographics within the workforce." -
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- New Indian Express
25,000 MSME workers in TN's Tiruchy to be screened under health scheme
TIRUCHY: Amid rising concerns over undiagnosed health issues among the working population, the Tiruchy health department will begin screening more than 25,571 workers employed in 878 small-scale business establishments across the district. It is likely to begin in June. This initiative comes under the expanded Workplace-Based Communicable Disease (NCD) screening programme, a key component of Tamil Nadu government's 'Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam' (MTM) scheme. Following a recent announcement in the Legislative Assembly, it was said that the workplace screening services for NCDs would be scaled up to include small business establishments across the state. The expansion aims to bridge the healthcare gap for workers, particularly those in micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Factories, industries, and companies with fewer than 1,000 employees have been identified for the screening drive, based on data provided by the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health (DISH).
