60% Indians die of non-communicable diseases every year: Health Ministry

The Non-Commonable Diseases dominating the other infectious diseases leading to deaths of 60% Indian in a year.

New Delhi, May 16: The Union Health Ministry on Wednesday revealed that 60% people die due to Non-Communicable Diseases. In order to reduce the burden of NCDs, the health ministry has called all Indian over the age of 30 to have a check on diabetes, high blood pressure and certain cancers.

According to reports, the screening will be conducted under the training for universal screening and control of five common NCDs such as hypertension, diabetes and common cancers that include cervix, breast and oral cavity.

Union Health minister J P Nadda on Wednesday inaugurated the programme on the same.

Going by phases, the screening will be conducted in 100 districts which will include the common cancers like cervix, breast and oral cavity in the first phase.

More than seven crore people in the country are believed to be suffering from diabetes, while another 7 to 8 crore are suffering from cardio-vascular diseases.

Reports said that more than 13 lakh patients are diagnosed with common cancer every year and about 90 lakh persons die each year due to NCDs.

Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel said that the figures explain the intensity of the problem in the hand, adding that these ailments are lifestyle-generated and can be prevented.

Addressing the issue, J P Nadda said that the programme will cover the entire nation and around 50 crore Indians will be screened for NCDs so that timely intervention can reduce the disease burden in the country.

In the recent past, 60 per cent deaths in India occur due to these NCDs dominating the deaths caused by the infectious diseases.

To control these NCD diseases, clinics are operational in over 400 districts.

Nadda said that the government has adopted 10 national targets in the action plan to control the NCDS, adding that 20 State Cancer Institutes and 50 Tertiary Care Cancer Centres are being set up for providing treatment. He also said that National cancer Institute in Jhajjar with a bed capacity of 710 and a second campus of Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute in Kolkata are also being set up.

The government aims to scale up screening to cover the entire population by 2018 under the programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardio-vascular diseases and Strokes.

Last but not the least, In 2013, out of five crore screened for NCDs, diabetes and hypertension pegged at 6.14% and 5.12% respectively. In 2016-17 it has increased to 10% and 13% of the two crore people who were screened on the same.

OneIndia News