Hyderabad: The Telangana Police is set to extend its FitCop health monitoring programme to all its units and wings, covering about 90,000 personnel, Director General of Police (DGP) CV Anand said on Friday, November 6.

A sponsor has agreed to fund the entire programme for the next 10 years, he said in a post on X, without naming the sponsor.

Anand said he held a meeting with the app developers, the department’s technical team and senior officers to review the health parameters and features to be built into the application. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the sponsor and the rollout plan were also discussed. 

The app is expected to go live in 40 to 45 days.

BP, diabetes screening first

In the first phase, personnel will be screened for body mass index (BMI), height, weight, blood pressure and diabetes. Those found to be at high risk will be monitored and guided by doctors, who will contact them from a call centre.

The DGP said the programme will also offer mental health support, personalised diet and exercise advice, and broader wellness services.

“Our objective is not merely to monitor health, but to help every police personnel lead a healthier life,” he said, adding that the initiative was also aimed at improving work efficiency.

Started in Hyderabad

FitCop was first launched by the Hyderabad Police in 2022, when Anand was the city police commissioner. It was run in partnership with the NGO Helping Hand Foundation. The app connected personnel to dieticians, physical trainers, counsellors and doctors through in-app chat and calls.

By May 2023, about 16,000 personnel in the city had been screened. Sixty personnel from the high-risk category were rewarded that year for improving their health.

In September, Anand told a meeting of staff officers that the programme would be implemented across the state. He said it would include basic health check-ups and awareness sessions on thyroid problems, diabetes and nutrition.