The Goa government on Tuesday launched a 20-year longitudinal cohort study, which will help diagnose chronic and non-communicable diseases in advance.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant launched the study at Mantralaya in the presence of officials from the University of Oxford and Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai.
Talking to reporters, Sawant said the study is a historic decision that will benefit Goans in a big way.
He said blood samples of more than 1 lakh people would be collected as part of the study, and the diagnosis report would help understand the onset of various diseases, including chronic and non-communicable ailments.
“Chronic illnesses will be diagnosed in advance. It will also help doctors advise patients on how to prevent them,” he said.
Sawant said the study will be conducted over 20 years and will help the next generation.
A senior government official said that the study is a ground-breaking health initiative aimed at tackling non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the state.
“This longitudinal cohort study will assess the risk and epidemiology of NCDs, providing valuable insights into the risk factors and disease patterns in Goa,” he said.
The official said the study is a collaborative effort between the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) Goa, the Centre for Cancer Epidemiology Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, and the Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford.
He said the study is expected to inform policy and interventions to address the growing health concern of NCDs in Goa.
“With this initiative, Goa is taking a proactive step towards improving the health and well-being of its citizens,” he added.
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