The Union health ministry will launch a comprehensive national programme to prevent and control non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and stroke during the 12th Five Year Plan period covering all 640 districts of the country. The programme will focus on health promotion, prevention of exposure to risk factors, early diagnosis, treatment of common non-communicable diseases and rehabilitation services.


Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said that there is an urgent need to check the rise in heart diseases, diabetes, chronic obstructive lung disease, cancer and injuries as these account for 2/3rd of the total disease burden in the country.


With estimated 5.1 crore diabetics, India has the second largest diabetic population in the world following China and unless effective measures are taken, India may have 8 crore diabetics by the year 2030. Similarly, the number of persons affected with cardio-vascular diseases which was about 3.8 crore in 2005 may go up to 6.4 crore by 2015, Azad cautioned.


Inaugurating a 2-day National Summit on non-communicable diseases in New Delhi recently, the minister said that an integrated scheme namely National Programme for Prevention & Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardio-Vascular Diseases and Stroke and the National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly has already been launched in 100 districts in 21 states.


The minister added that under the programme, a Cardiac Care Unit at a cost of Rs.1.5 crore will be established at 100 district hospitals while non-communicable diseases clinics for diagnosis and management purposes will be established in 100 district hospitals and 700 community health centres. Along with this, he said, common diagnostic services, basic surgery, chemotherapy and palliative care for cancer cases will be made available at 100 district hospitals. Azad informed that 65 centres will be strengthened as Tertiary Cancer Centres to provide comprehensive cancer care services at a cost of Rs.6.00 crore each.


Elaborating on the government efforts to prevent and control diabetes, Azad said that 15-20 crore people will be screened for diabetes and hypertension this year. He said initially 100 most backward and inaccessible districts in 21 states and urban slums in 33 cities with population more than 10 lakhs have been selected where all adult males above 30 years of age and pregnant women of all age groups will be screened.