India steps up screening of lifestyle diseases to cover everyone above 30 years

India has intensified screening of non-communicable diseases as part of its campaign for early detection to reduce the burden of lifestyle ailments.

The Union health ministry today launched a special campaign to screen all individuals aged 30 years and above for prevalent diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and three common cancers—oral, breast, and cervical.

The goal is to achieve 100% coverage of all the vulnerable population. Intensified campaign is part of an ongoing National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD) initiative under which as many as 50 crore people have been targeted for NCD screening till 31 March.

NCDs cause 41 million deaths each year, accounting for 74% of all deaths globally, according to the World Health Organization. The four major NCDs are cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes. These share four common behavioral risk factors: unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, tobacco use, and alcohol consumption.

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For India, the latest data is not readily available. However, a 2017 report by Indian Council of Medical Research estimated that the proportion of deaths due to NCDs in India increased from 37.9% in 1990 to 61.8% in 2016.

The report said in 2016, there were 54.5 million cases of cardiovascular diseases, 23.8 million of ischemic heart diseases, 6.5 million of stroke, 55 million of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), 38 million of asthma and 65 million cases of diabetes.

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Under the health ministry’s initiative, trained accredited social health activist (ASHA), auxiliary nursing midwifery (ANMs), and frontline workers will go door-to-door to ensure maximum screening coverage. The Centre has directed the state and union governments to ensure the availability of essential medical supplies, including blood-pressure monitors, glucometers, and necessary medications at all healthcare centres.

Real-time monitoring 

“States and UTs will provide updates to the health ministry by 6 PM daily, allowing for continuous monitoring and technical support,” the health ministry said.

The campaign will be executed across Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs) and various healthcare facilities nationwide, under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD).

“To ensure real-time monitoring, data on screening, treatment, and follow-ups will be uploaded daily on the NCD Portal, ensuring transparency and accountability,” the ministry said. The National NCD portal, introduced in 2018, manages patient data and integrates health records with Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) IDs.

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As NCDs do not produce symptoms in the beginning, this results in delay in diagnosis, increasing the risk of complications such as stroke, heart attack and kidney failure, according to Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, former president, Indian Medical Association (IMA), Cochin.

As younger adults tend to take their health for granted and with half the population below the age of 29, Dr Jayadevan said screening helps detect cases at an early stage where the treatment is not only effective, but also economical. “It is far more expensive and less successful to treat the same patient following a complication, hence the emphasis for early detection and treatment.”

Economic burden 

According to the Economic Survey for 2024-25, till 31 January, 42.2 crore individuals enrolled (aged more than 30 years), and 39.80 crore individuals were screened for common NCDs, enabling timely interventions and reducing long-term healthcare burdens.

The survey said that excessive consumption of ultra-processed food is also leading to non-communicable diseases.

“NCDs pose a significant threat to India’s economy, causing substantial losses in terms of productivity, healthcare expenditure, and premature mortality,” said Dr Mohsin Wali, senior consultant in department of medicine at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi.

“The economic burden of NCDs is multifaceted. Firstly, they lead to reduced workforce participation and productivity due to illness, disability, and premature death,” Dr Wali said. “NCDs strain healthcare resources, with a significant portion of healthcare expenditure directed towards their management,” he said, adding that they often push individuals and families into poverty due to high out-of-pocket healthcare expenses.