GUWAHATI, Jan 2 � Researchers at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) would soon submit their findings to the Government of India seeking the latter�s intervention to reduce high death rate in tea gardens of Assam due to hyper tension and stroke.
The regional medical research centre of the ICMR at Lahowal (Dibrugarh) has linked the high hyper tension prevalence among adult tea garden population in Assam directly to increased salt intake in various forms.
The detailed findings of the research work on �controlling hyper tension in tea garden population by reducing salt intake� is being prepared under chief investigator Dr PK Bora.
High intake of salt in different forms by tea garden population, besides resulting in deaths due to strokes, have also resulted in pregnancy-induced hyper tension which leads to nearly 26 per cent of maternal deaths followed by haemorrhage and anaemia.
Tea gardens of Assam records the highest prevalence of maternal mortality ratio and infant mortality ratio in India.
Dr PK Mohapatra, director in-charge of the regional institute of ICMR told The Assam Tribune said, �We plan to propose certain methods to reduce salt intake in different forms among tea garden population by involving the tea garden management.�
�Unlike our standard belief where we link hyper tension with high intake of oily stuff, lack of physical activity (exercise), hyper tension among tea garden population is largely due to high salt intake. Awareness is a must. The findings of the research will be shared with the Government for necessary intervention,� Dr Mohapatra said.
Age-old practice of serving �chai-pani � ( black tea with added salt) by tea garden management during working hours by tea garden management and that too in large quantity have made the tea garden workers vulnerable to killer diseases.
High prevalence of deaths due to stroke had even led to some of the tea garden management setting up hyper tension clinics.
