PPHF releases Roadmap for ‘NCDs: Aligning with Viksit Bharat @ 2047’

People to People Health Foundation’s (PPHF) released Coffee Table Book on Project PRANAA Learnings and Experiences. This booklet combines critical insights from the PRANAA program with a roadmap for ‘NCDs: Aligning with Viksit Bharat@2047’. The successful execution of this would require collaboration, innovation, and commitment from all stakeholders.

NCDs pose a significant global health challenge, accounting for approximately 71% of all deaths worldwide, creating a staggering economic burden of trillions due to lost productivity and healthcare costs.

This roadmap envisions a community-centric, collaborative, and sustainable approach to NCD prevention, aligning with India’s aspirations for 2047, ensuring health, dignity, and prosperity for all Indian citizens. It was released during a ‘National Dissemination Workshop on Program Implementation Learnings on NCDs’ held in Delhi today (6th Dec 2024) by PPHF.

Distinguished dignitaries included Shri Dharampal, IAS, Ex-Advisor to the Chandigarh Administration, Govt. of India; Dr Varinder Garg, MD, OSD to President PGIMER; Chandigarh State Government Health Department representatives, (Haryana and Maharashtra); Dr. Abhishek Kunwar, National Professional Officer (NCD), WHO; and Dr. Vibhav Garg, Director- Health Economics & Govt Affairs, India HUB & ASEAN, Boston Scientific.

While delivering the keynote address, Shri Dharampal, IAS, Ex. Advisor Chandigarh Administration, Government of India, said, "The rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is one of the gravest public health challenges of our time, with over 60% of deaths in India and more than 70% globally attributed to these conditions. Cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory illnesses are the major culprits. Alarmingly, the proportion of deaths caused by NCDs in India has surged from 37.9% in 1990 to 61.8% in 2016.”

Further he said, “To address this, the Govt. of India has launched several critical programs, including the National Program for Prevention of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases, and Stroke, and initiatives like the National Health Mission's population-based screening. These efforts underscore the importance of prevention, early detection, and lifestyle modifications. It is essential to promote healthier habits, like encouraging home-cooked meals, reducing screen time for children, and mandating physical activity in schools. With strategies like these, and collaborations like the one between PPHF and Boston Scientific, we can mitigate the NCD crisis."

Dr Varinder Garg, MD, OSD to President PGIMER, Chandigarh, State Government Health Department representatives, (Haryana and Maharashtra) said, "There is an alarming rise in NCDs among rural and remote populations in India, and the lack of awareness among rural people only exacerbates the burden. Under the visionary leadership of our Prime Minister, we have a well-established network of Arogya Mandirs that can address the NCDs burden by awareness, prevention, early detection and quality care. I congratulate PPHF for their project PRANAA initiative in addressing this major burden through capacity building."

The Key Aspects of this Roadmap include

• Strengthening Prevention and Early Detection
• Strengthen policies on tobacco control, sugary drink taxes, and front-of-pack labelling.
• Scale behaviour change campaigns on healthy lifestyles and mental health.
• Equip Health and Wellness Centres for screening and diagnosis of NCD

Establishing a National NCD Task force for developing innovative financing sources, Public-Private partnerships models, Health bonds etc

Elaborating on the importance of tackling NCDs, Dr Laxmikant Palo, CEO, People to People Health Foundation (PPHF) said, "PPHF remains committed to work together with health system and private sectors on mobilizing communities through regular awareness, training and screening programs in tackling the rising burden of Non-Communicable Diseases. We apply a collaborative, integrated, transdisciplinary approach that bridges the existing operational gaps in NCD programming.”