Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda on Tuesday said that the government has implemented a multi-pronged strategy to tackle Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), which account for nearly 60 per cent of total deaths in the country.
Chairing a session titled “Addressing Non-Communicable Diseases in India: From Preventive to Care” during the 18th Civil Services Day celebrations, Nadda highlighted the importance of shifting India’s healthcare focus from preventive to comprehensive care.
He noted that in 2017, the government introduced a holistic and inclusive health policy focusing on preventive, promotive, curative, geriatric, rehabilitative, and palliative care.
Nadda pointed out that while India has made significant progress in tackling communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases require greater attention due to delayed outcomes and existing knowledge gaps.
He added that under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of NCDs, efforts have been directed towards strengthening healthcare infrastructure, ensuring early diagnosis and detection, promoting health awareness, and enabling timely referrals.
Emphasising the importance of health promotion, he said effective disease management and timely referrals are key components in addressing NCDs.
The Minister further highlighted that over the past six years, more than 1.85 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs have been established as the first point of contact between citizens and the healthcare system.
Each centre is supported by an ASHA worker and other frontline health staff wherever possible.
He also mentioned that since 2017, the government has prioritised voluntary and enhanced screening initiatives.
Highlighting achievements, Nadda said around 107 district-level NCD clinics and 233 cardiac care units have been set up across the country.
He added that the latest Union Budget has proposed the establishment of day care cancer centres in every district.
Underscoring large-scale screening efforts, he said that since 2017, about 41.5 crore people have been screened for hypertension, with 7.1 crore diagnosed and 5.7 crore notified cases.
Similarly, 41.3 crore people have been screened for diabetes, out of which 4.7 crore were diagnosed and 3.4 crore are currently receiving treatment.
For oral cancer, 35.3 crore people have been screened, with 2.3 lakh detected cases and nearly 2 lakh undergoing treatment. Additionally, over 16.5 crore individuals have been screened for breast cancer.
Nadda reiterated that early detection and timely treatment remain crucial for improving health outcomes and reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases in India.
With Inputs From IANS