Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD)

Posted 24 Mar 2025

Updated 27 Mar 2025

5 min read

Why in the News?

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare launched the Intensified Special NCD Screening Drive.

About Screen Drive on NCD

Aim: To achieve 100% screening of all individuals aged 30 years and above for prevalent NCDs and three common cancers—Oral, Breast, and Cervical.
Implementation: Through Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs) and various healthcare facilities nationwide, under National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD).
- Ayushman Arogya Mandirs are established under Ayushman Bharat initiative by upgrading existing Rural and Urban PHCs/Sub Centers.

About NP-NCD:

Background:
- Launch: NP-NCD, formerly known as National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardio- vascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) was launched in 2010 across 100 districts in 21 states to combat NCDs as part of 11th Five Year Plan.
- 12th Five Year Plan: Proposed phased expansion to cover all districts.
- 2013-14: Subsumed under National Health Mission (NHM) which is a flagship centrally sponsored scheme to achieve universal access to affordable and quality health care services?
Objectives of NP-NCD:
- Health promotion through behavior change with involvement of community, civil society, media etc.
- Screening, early diagnosis, management and follow-up at each level to ensure continuum of care.
- Capacity building, Strengthening supply chain management for drugs, equipment and logistics, Monitoring and evaluation through a uniform ICT application.

About Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs)

NCDs are chronic diseases that are not transmissible from one person to another.
Main types of NCDs are Cardiovascular Diseases (such as heart attacks and Stroke), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma) and diabetes.
- When these are caused by an unhealthy lifestyle, these diseases are also called lifestyle diseases.
NCDs tend to be of long duration and are the result of a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioral risk factors.

Burden of NCDs

Global Scenario:
- NCDs are number 1 cause of death and disability worldwide, accounting for 74% of all deaths and more than three out of four years lived with a disability.
- Burden is greatest within low- and middle-income countries, where 77 percent of all NCD deaths occurred.

Four top killers that together account for more than 80% of all premature NCD deaths annually include cardiovascular diseases (17·9 million), cancers (9.3 million), chronic respiratory diseases (4.1 million), and diabetes (2.0 million).
Indian Scenario (Please refer Infographic)

Impact of NCDs:

NCDs in childhood: Causes about 1.2–4.2 fewer years of completed education.
Higher out of pocket medical expenditure: Overall, travel costs are the primary out-of-pocket expense for many Indian patients with NCDs.
Life expectancy: Life expectancy is lowest at the age of 15 among lowest education groups due to higher death rates during 30–69 years from NCDs.
Economic impact: WHO projects the economic burden of NCDs (E.g. Household health expenditure, Budget expenditure etc.) in India to surpass ₹280 lakh crore by 2030.
Poverty: The rapid rise in NCDs is predicted to impede poverty reduction initiatives in low-income countries, particularly by increasing household costs associated with health care.
Gendered Impact: The prevalence of NCDs among women is 62 per 1,000, as compared to 36 per 1,000 men.
Other Impact: Low human capital, unhealthy labor force, revenue loss, etc.

Initiatives for Controlling NCDs
- Global
  - 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: SDG target 3.4 aims to reduce premature NCD mortality by one-third by 2030.
  - WHO Global Action Plan: World Health Assembly extended the WHO Global action plan for the prevention and control of NCDs 2013–2020 to 2030.
  - Global NCD Compact 2020–2030: By WHO aims to accelerate progress on the prevention and control of NCDs.
- Indian:
  - Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) aims to provide affordable medicines for the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular diseases etc.
  - Eat Right India movement by FSSAI promotes healthy eating.
  - Fit India Movement: Launched in 2019 aims to promote a physically active lifestyle and make fitness an integral part of daily life in India.
  - National Oral Health Programme: Launched to provide integrated, comprehensive oral health care in the existing healthcare facilities.
  - National Mental Health Programme (NMHP): Launched in 1982 to ensure availability and accessibility of minimum mental healthcare for all in the foreseeable future.
  - National Programme for healthcare of Elderly (NPHCE): It was launched in 2010 to address various health related problems of elderly people.
  - National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP): Launched in 2007-08 for creating awareness about tharmful effects of tobacco consumption; reduce production and supply of tobacco products etc.

Recommendations for Prevention and Control of NCDs:

Comprehensive Approach: To lessen the impact of NCDs collaboration across sectors like health, finance, transport, education, and agriculture is crucial.
NCD Management: Investing in better management of NCDs is critical. It includes detection, screening, treatment, and palliative care, ideally through primary healthcare for early intervention.
Digital Health Interventions (DHIs): An additional US$0.24 per patient per year in DHIs, including telemedicine, mobile messaging, and chatbots, could Save over 2 million lives from NCDs over next decade.
Leveraging fiscal tools: To reduce risk factors e.g. raising taxes on tobacco, Salt, sugar etc.
Life-course approach to NCDs: Prevention and Management of NCDs along with other policy reforms like labor markets, social protection and long-term care.
Policy Efforts: Increased government expenditure, encouraging private sector investments to address issue of regional imbalance in availability of human resources & infrastructure for treatment of chronic NCDs.