Seeking to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) which accounts for over 60 per cent mortality, the Centre today asked medical practitioners to come up with solutions to improve preventive and promotive healthcare in the country.
Noting that out-of-pocket expenses incurred by a large section of population still remains high, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said that tackling the issue requires focus on preventive and promotive care at primary level and secondary level.
"I urge the family medicine practitioners to come up with solutions for further improving preventive and promotive health care in the country," an official statement quoting him said.
The minister was speaking at the 2nd National Conference on Family Medicine and Primary Care being organised by the Academy of Family Physicians of India here.
"At a time when the country is facing the twin burden of diseases, NCDs account for over 60 per cent mortality. The out-of-pocket expenses incurred by a large section of population still remains high," he said.
Highlighting the role played by the National Health Mission (NHM) through its systems approach and strengthening of rural infrastructure in catering to the healthcare needs of the people of the country, Nadda said preventive and promotive health constitutes a major component of NHM.
"Reaching out to a vast population in a country like India requires arrangements of mid-level care providers in the rural areas. My ministry is working in consultation with IMA and MCI for provision of rural health care providers like trained AYUSH Doctors, Nurses, B.Sc. In Community Health and others," he said.
He said that his ministry will seriously consider all suggestions given by AFPI so that quality medical facilities could be provided to patients at their doorsteps.
Highlighting the importance of yoga in preventing and
control of NCDs, especially diabetes, WHO India Representative Henk Bekedam stressed the need for taking up multi-sectoral efforts.
He said the risk factors are closely related to social behavior and maintained that the focus should be on advocacy, awareness, access, alliance and accountability.
Union Health Secretary B P Sharma said that diseases, including NCDs, impose a high financial burden on the families and there is a need for a multi-sectoral and convergent approach for prevention and control of NCDs.
Saumya Swaminathan, DG, ICMR, said that there is a huge potential for control and prevention of NCDs through early screening even as she emphasized on understanding the socio-economic and cultural contexts in countering rising NCDs.
As per the M-Diabetes initiative, a patient can give a missed call to a number to get information on diabetes and how to prevent and manage it.
Launching the guidelines for screening of diabetes, hypertension and cancer, Nadda said it will help the programme managers plan and implement the screening at mass level.
In addition, the Minister launched training manuals for different levels of health workers who are engaged in NCD prevention and control, survey of risk factors for NCDs to generate prospective national level estimates.
Launching the second round of Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS-2) for systematically monitoring adult tobacco use and tracking key tobacco control indicators, he said GATS-2 will interview about 76,000 males and females aged 15 years and above from about 2,500 selected geographical units across the country.
