Govt to bring health guidelines for IT industry: Ramadoss

New Delhi, Oct 5 (UNI) The government would bring out new health guidelines for the IT industry in view of the high incidence of heart attacks, diabetes, obesity, psorosis and other health problems, among young professionals in this field, Health Minister Anbumoni Ramadoss said today.

Dr Ramadoss said that as IT was the flagship industry for the country, he and Environmental Minister A Raja would meet soon to formulate these comprehensive guidelines to prevent lifestyle diseases among these highly trained and skilled professionals young professionals.

''These will not be separate health policy for BPOs, but health care guidelines for IT industry as a whole as it was the flagship industry for the country,'' the Health Minister clarified.

He said the government decided to bring these guidelines as it has come to light that youngsters in the age group of 20 to 25 years working in BPOs and IT sector due to night and shift duty were suffering from heart attacks, hypertension, obesity, HIV and other diseases. There was a need to create awareness among them as well as the industry owners as these problems were solvable, he said.

Admitting that occupational hazards were associated with many jobs and professions, Dr Ramadoss said they needed to be solved.

Dr Ramadoss also called for creating awareness against use of junk food and tobacco by youngsters. He said tobacco use was responsible for 40 per cent of health disease burden in India, and more vigorous steps were needed to check its use.

The minister also asked the Indian Council of Medical Research, which was today converted into the Department of Health Research, to conduct a study on the long term negative impact of mobile phone use by youngsters.

UNI