Doha, Qatar – The 15th consecutive year, Micro Health Laboratories in Qatar is organizing a month-long screening campaign aimed at identifying lifestyle diseases among the expatriate community, particularly low-income earners. The campaign will run from January 1 to January 31, 2025, offering low-cost screening to detect diseases such as diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, and uric acid buildup.
Dr. Vijay Vishnu Prasad, the campaign’s head, emphasized
the rising incidence of lifestyle diseases in Qatar’s expatriate population,
especially among low-income workers. "The busy work environment, poor
diet, and mental stress significantly contribute to the prevalence of lifestyle
diseases in this region," Dr. Prasad said at a press conference held in
Doha.
The screening package includes tests for blood pressure,
BMI, blood sugar, lipid profile (LDL, HDL, VLDL, cholesterol, triglycerides),
blood urea, creatinine, uric acid, and SGPT. This year, Micro Health is
offering these tests for a nominal fee of just 50 Qatari Riyals, significantly
lower than the regular cost of 550 Qatari Riyals.
The campaign has benefited over 80,000 expatriates in
previous years, with approximately 20-25% of participants diagnosed with
various lifestyle-related disorders. Around 15% of those diagnosed were unaware
they had health issues.
The laboratory will also provide a home sample collection
service for those unable to visit in person, for an additional charge of 25
Qatari Riyals. Micro Health Laboratories will operate from 6 am to 10 pm daily
throughout the campaign period. Participants are advised to fast for at least
eight hours before the tests.
Dr. Prasad, along with Dr. Reji Sukhmani, Dr. Soumaya,
COO Udayakumar Nataraj, and CCO Shafiq KC, attended the press conference to
announce the campaign.
The Lifestyle Disease Screening Campaign is part of Micro Health Laboratories' ongoing corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative, aimed at improving public health and providing affordable healthcare services to those who need it the most.
