With the number of chronic diseases on steep rise in the country, the Ministry of Health has now decided to extend the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPDCS) to 100 districts in the remaining period of the current Five Year Plan.

The decision to expand the project came after the successful completion of the pilot project carried out in 10 districts in as many states so far. Following this, the Centre has approved the NPDCS at an estimated outlay of Rs.1230.90 crore for the 11th Five Year Plan. The programme focuses on health promotion, capacity building including human resource development, early diagnosis and management of these diseases and integration with the primary health care system. The programmes will cover 100 districts across 21 states during the remaining period of the 11th Plan.

According to the reports collected by the ministry, with increasing urbanization, changes in lifestyle and life expectancy, chronic diseases are expected to increase in the population. The four major risk factors viz. tobacco use, alcohol consumption, unhealthy diet (low fruit and vegetable intake and high salt, increased sugar and trans-fats consumption etc) and physical inactivity are major contributors in the causation of non-communicable diseases.

Based on the Report of the National Commission on Macroeconomics and Health, estimated number of cases of cardiovascular diseases was 3.80 crore in 2005, but is projected to increase to 6.41 crore in 2015. Likewise, the diabetes cases were just 3.10 crore in 2005 but will go upto 4.60 crore by 2015. The stroke cases are expected to cross 17 lakh and cancer cases above 10 lakh by 2015.  According to published reports the chronic renal failure cases are about 0.8 % of the adult population in the country (approximately 50 lakh), sources said.

The government mooted the NPDCS project originally at a cost of Rs 1660.50 crore and then launched the pilot project in 10 districts, one each in 10 districts. Kamrup of Assam, Jalandhar (Punjab), Bhilwara (Rajasthan), Shimoga (Karnataka), Kancheepuram (Tamil Nadu), Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), Nellore (Andhra Pradesh), Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh), East Sikkim (Sikkim), and Gandhi Nagar (Gujarat) were the select districts.