Central Idea: The article discusses the decision by the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to rename and expand its program for the control and prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

What are Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)?

• NCDs are also known as chronic diseases, which are not caused by infectious agents and are not transmissible from person to person.
• NCDs are long-lasting and progress slowly, typically taking years to manifest symptoms.
• Examples of NCDs include cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes.
• These diseases are often caused by modifiable risk factors such as unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, tobacco and alcohol use, and environmental factors.
• NCDs are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, accounting for around 70% of all deaths globally.

Why in news?

• The addition of many new diseases and health initiatives have prompted the Indian government to expand and rename its NCD program.

Renaming of the NCD Program and Portal

• The Ministry has renamed the NPCDCS as the “National Programme for Prevention & Control of Non-Communicable Diseases [NP-NCD].”
• The application or software named Comprehensive Primary Healthcare Non-Communicable Disease (CPHC NCD IT) will now be renamed “National NCD Portal.”
• The Ministry communicated this decision to the States on May 3, 2023, through a one-page letter and asked them to adhere to the changes.

Implementation and future action

• The NPCDCS is implemented under the National Health Mission across India.
• The letter addressed to Principal Secretaries and Health Secretaries of all States and Union Territories advised the government to use the new names for the scheme and portal in all their future references and correspondences with the Indian government.
• Under NPCDCS, 677 NCD district-level clinics, 187 District Cardiac Care Units, 266 District Day Care Centres and 5,392 NCD Community Health Centre-level clinics have been set up.

Burden of NCDs in India

• The study ‘India: Health of the Nation’s States – The India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative in 2017’ by the ICMR estimated that the proportion of deaths due to NCDs in India has increased from 37.9% in 1990 to 61.8% in 2016.
• The four major NCDs are:

1. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs)
2. Cancers
3. Chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) and
4. Diabetes

• The study shared four behavioural risk factors – unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, and the use of tobacco and alcohol.

Solutions to mitigate NCD burden

• Promote healthy lifestyle: Encourage people to adopt healthy lifestyle habits such as regular physical activity, balanced and nutritious diet, avoiding tobacco and alcohol, and getting enough sleep.
• Increase awareness and education: Increase awareness among the public about the risk factors of NCDs and educate them about ways to prevent these diseases.
• Improve healthcare infrastructure: Increase access to healthcare facilities, especially in rural and remote areas, to ensure early detection, treatment, and management of NCDs.
• Implement policies and regulations: Implement policies and regulations that promote healthy living, such as increasing taxes on tobacco and alcohol products, and regulating the marketing of unhealthy food products.
• Foster public-private partnerships: Foster partnerships between the government, private sector, and civil society organizations to work collaboratively towards preventing and managing NCDs.
• Increase research and innovation: Increase research and innovation in the prevention, early detection, and treatment of NCDs to develop new and effective interventions.

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