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Prescribe preventive medicine for a healthy India
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Context
India is facing an alarming burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Despite India's ambitions of becoming a USD 5 trillion economy, the country is grappling with a “silent epidemic” of NCDs, threatening not just public health but also national productivity and economic growth.
The Economic and Epidemiological Shift
- Epidemiological Transition in India: India has shifted from communicable to non-communicable diseases, with NCDs now accounting for over 66% of total deaths, including heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes.
- Impact on Working-Age Population: Over 22% of Indians above age 30 face the risk of premature death from NCDs, compromising India’s demographic dividend and productivity.
- Macroeconomic Burden of NCDs: NCDs are projected to cost India USD 3.5–USD 4 trillion between 2012 and 2030, amounting to an annual GDP loss of 5–10%, making prevention a macroeconomic priority.
Lifestyle, Environment & Prevention Strategies
- Lifestyle-Driven Risk Factors: Sedentary habits, poor diet, obesity (affecting 22–23% of adults), and tobacco/alcohol use are key modifiable risk factors for 80% of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke cases.
- Environmental Health Risks: Air pollution contributes significantly to COPD, lung cancer, and heart attacks, making pollution control an integral part of public health policy.
- Role of Early Screening: Screening starting at age 40 or earlier can detect high-risk conditions like hypertension, cancers, or diabetes early, enabling timely intervention and reducing mortality.
Role of Technology, Governance & Societal Behaviour
- Digital and AI-Driven Preventive Models: With 750+ million smartphone users, India can leverage digital tools and AI-based predictive models to assess personal risk scores and detect disease early via radiological AI diagnostics.
- Behavioural and Institutional Shifts: A “preventive mindset” must be fostered at all levels — individuals, corporates (via wellness programs), and healthcare providers — shifting focus from reactive to proactive care.
- Government and Policy Initiatives: Government schemes like the National Programme for Prevention and Control of NCDs and Health and Wellness Centres promote screening; health-focused urban planning and food regulation are needed to institutionalise prevention.
Practice Question
Q. "The burden of non-communicable diseases in India is not just a public health crisis but a macroeconomic challenge." Critically examine in light of India’s economic ambitions. Suggest a multi-pronged preventive health-care strategy leveraging digital tools and governance reforms.
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