Admitting to an alarming rise in cardiovascular and stroke cases in the country, Science and Technology Minister S.Jaipal Reddy today pitched for initiating a mass preventive programme and intensive education to curb the disease.
""Stroke is increasing at an epidemic proportions in the country with approximately 1.5-2 million case of acute stroke in India. We need to lay large stress on prevention. We need to invest extensively in epidimiology in our country to understand the problems," Reddy said after inaugarating the international conference 'Heart and Stroke 2013' here.
He said there should be focus on preventive programmes like early detections and education of patients.
Giving out figures, Reddy said India is already a leading country in world in diabetes with 32 million persons. The count of hypertension indivuduals is expected to rise from 118 million in 2000 to in 214 million in 2035.
"If these looming threats are neglected, the adverse effects on developments are likely to be unaffordable for a country," Reddy said.
"The department of bio-technology has initiated major programmes in so called lifestyle and chronic disease. Plans are underway to develop major network centres for research in cardiovascular disease and stroke,"he added.
He said asked AIIMS to work with the Health Ministry in the field of research and innovations and affordable healthcare.
The minister said that heart diseases and stroke are the leading cause of death in the world accounting for 29 per cent of all deaths in 2005, according to World Health Organisation (WHO).
