iGovernment
08 July 2010
New Delhi, India

India on Thursday launched the Rs1, 230.90 crore programme to detect, prevent and control the spread of these diseases
India will invest an estimated Rs1, 230.90 crore in the next two years to fight cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

It was decided at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Thursday which approved the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS).

Of the Rs 1,230.90 crore, Rs. 499.38 crore would be spent for interventions on diabetes and cardiovascular diseases and stroke and Rs 731.52 crore for cancer control.It will be on a cost sharing basis between the Centre and the States at the rate of 80:20.

The programme will be implemented in 20,000 sub–centres and 700 Community Health Centres (CHCs) in 100 Districts across 15 States and UTs by promoting healthy lifestyle through massive health education and mass media efforts at country level.

Opportunistic screening of persons above the age of 30 years, establishment of Non Communicable Disease (NCD) clinics at CHC and district level, development of trained manpower and strengthening of tertiary level health facilities are parts of the programme.

Under the programme, it is expected to screen more than 70 million adults above 30 years of age for diabetes and hypertension, early diagnosis of non–communicable diseases and treatment, an official statement said.

To fill the gap in the health delivery system, about 32,000 health personnel would be trained at various levels to provide opportunistic and targeted screening, diagnosis and management of NCDs. The cabinet meeting took note of the fact that as per estimates of the World Health Organisation (WHO), cardiovascular diseases will be the largest cause of death and disability in India by 2020.

At the same time, it was also estimated that the prevalence of diabetes in the country was 6.25 percent of the population, while that for hypertension was as high as 15.95 percent.

This apart, the incidence of hypertension and heart diseases was 3.7 percent and 0.15 percent, respectively. In absolute terms, the number of cancer patients in the country was also large at 2.5 million.

With the successful implementation of the programme, it is expected to achieve behaviour change in the community to adopt healthy life styles including dietary patterns, enhanced physical activity and reduced intake of tobacco and alcohol resulting in overall reduction in the risk factors of common NCDs in the community.