Analysis of System of Treatment Opted for Diabetes and Hypertension During Covid-19
Authors: - Naresh Vashist 
Published: January 2024

Background: India has two healthcare components, 1stas public which focus on basic healthcare facilities in the form of Ayushman Bharat-Primary Healthcare Centres (AB-PHCs) and Ayushman Bharat-Health Sub-Centres (AB-HSCs) in rural areas and comprises limited secondary and tertiary care institutions in key cities whereas 2nd as private sector which provides majority of secondary, tertiary, and quaternary care institutions with major concentration in metros, tier-I and tier-II cities. Indian Healthcare Sector has continued to grow at a significant rate through effective budgetary allocations and promoting collaborations. Centre and State governments spend 30% and 70% of total government spending on health care, respectively. As about 35 million diabetic and hypertension patients of aged ≥65 years are susceptible to mortality due to COVID-19, due to effect on heart, liver, kidneys and lungs, this needs more concentration and proper management of these patients. There is requirement to build an intelligent healthcare system to span the public vs private and conventional vs non-conventional healthcare system, aligned with international principles and standards for health metrics. The global prevalence of these NCDs is higher in urban than rural areas and higher in high-income than low-income countries. One in two people living with these NCDs do not know that they have these diseases. Economy of the individual and country have affected negatively by diabetes and hypertension patients. 80% of the burden of these diseases of a country can be reduced by appropriate medicines. Due to no or less side-effects, many modern medical practitioners are practicing the non-conventional system of treatment which is 80% in rural areas.
Objective: To study the system of treatment opted by the diabetic and hypertension patients during COVID-19.
Material and Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study is conducted at various institutional levels and by visiting randomly in different selected areas with help of well -developed questionnaire. The research work is conducted by collecting the data of diabetic and hypertension patients with their system of treatment opted during COVID-19 in the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. Sample size is between 900 to 1000 participants and total investigations done, are between 5300 to 5500. The investigations are done with the help of glucometer and sphygmomanometer.
Results: Total persons investigated are 5498, normal persons are 82.78% whereas diseased persons are 17.22% out of these diseased persons HTN are 10.53%, DM are 3.87% and HTN with DM are 2.82%. From 947 DM, HTN and HTN with DM patients, modern allopathic medicines or conventional system users are, DM=152 (16.05%) HTN = 316 (33.37%), DM with HTN = 103 (10.88%). Traditional medicines or non- conventional system users are DM=26 (2.75%), HTN= 106 (11.19%), DM with HTN = 24 (2.53%). Both healthcare system user are, DM=35 (3.69%), HTN=157 (16.58%), DM with HTN =28 (2.96%). Total patients of DM, HTN and HTN with DM which used modern allopathic medicines or conventional healthcare system are 571 (60.30%), traditional medicines or non-conventional healthcare system are 156 (16.47%) and which have used both conventional as well as non-conventional system are 220 (23.23%).
Conclusions: More patients of DM, HTN and HTN with DM have adopted modern allopathic medicines/ conventional system for treatment as compare to traditional/ non-conventional system whereas many of these patients have adopted both systems of treatment conventional as well non-conventional.