Mandya: Deputy commissioner Kumara on Thursday announced that the Hrudaya Vaishalya scheme, launched in 2023 to safeguard rural residents’ cardiac health, achieved remarkable success across the district.During a progress review meeting on national programmes at the DC’s office, he stated that 31,000 people have received free ECG screenings since the programme began. In 2025 alone, 9,000 individuals underwent heart check-ups, highlighting the scheme’s growing impact on rural healthcare. The initiative addresses the rising incidence of heart-related ailments among villagers, who often avoid timely screenings due to the need to travel to urban centres.Drawing from his experience in Dakshina Kannada, where he facilitated over 1.5 lakh free ECG screenings by securing 200 ECG machines through corporate partnerships, Kumara brought the model to the district. He personally named the project Hrudaya Vaishalya, reflecting its emphasis on cardiac care and compassion.Currently, 35 out of 120 primary health centres are part of the first phase of the scheme. Medical staff and doctors have received specialised training to operate ECG machines and manage screenings efficiently. District data shows that approximately 170 people die from heart attacks annually; under this programme, 5% of those screened were identified as high-risk and referred to cardiac hospitals for advanced treatment.Kumara urged residents to continue availing themselves of these free screenings to prevent future cardiac emergencies.
