Public servants to receive health records

Nadira Gunatilleke

The Health Ministry will provide a special folder containing 'Personal Medical Record' to public servants. The main objective of this is to protect them from Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs), a ministry spokesman said.

According to him, personal health records for public servants attached to the Health Ministry (around 300,000) have been printed and will be distributed soon. The total number of public servants in Sri Lanka is around 1.6 million. It has been found that many public servants have ailments such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart aliments.

The personal health record will have details about the health status of the public servant such as height, weight, BMI index, eye sight, blood group, special health conditions including diabetes, high blood pressure etc., obesity and use of alcohol etc, records of pap smear tests, memograms etc, together with good habits.

The record will also include the possibility of having a heart attack in the next 10 years.

This record will help public servants to obtain medical care in a more methodical way, he said. The record will also have details and guidance to maintain the required nutrition.

It will provide guidance to prevent obesity and keep their nutrition level up to the required level.

It will also guide them to have a balanced mental status through medication. The record will be in eight steps and also act as a handbook, the spokesman added.