While the rising and ageing population, urbanisation and exposure to risk factors are inescapable truths, there are a number of other aspects that can be tackled when it comes to the prevention of non-communicable diseases, said Sadhana Bhagwat, professional officer, WHO, country office for India.
Dr. Bhagwat was the recipient of the Prof. M. Viswanathan Gold Medal Oration Award 2017, and was delivering the 32nd edition of the lecture on Saturday.
In India, Dr. Bhagwat said, there is a 26% chance of dying due to an NCD before the age of 70. Prevention of NCDs is as important as the prevention of communicable diseases, she said, but multi-sectoral engagement — which is essential — was often harder to get for NCDs.
Risk factors
Dr. Bhagwat spoke about risk factors including physical inactivity, harmful use of alcohol and tobacco use, unhealthy diets and air pollution contributing to NCDs including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory disease.
She pointed out that high levels of physical inactivity (about 70-80%) were observed in adolescents too, and that the recent National Family Health Survey had revealed rising levels of obesity.
Interventions need to be both at the policy level and at the level of doctors — measures such as increasing the prices of tobacco products and taxes on them, plain packaging on tobacco products and minimising illicit trade as well as providing cost-covered, effective support for tobacco cessation and prevention, treatment and care for alcohol use disorders. Foot care for diabetes, screening for diabetic retinopathy, effective glycemic control and lifestyle interventions were other measures, she added.
Vijay Viswanathan, head and chief diabetologist of MV Hospital for Diabetes, Royapuram, earlier spoke about the hospital’s many partnerships with regard to prevention and control of diabetes. More than 200 doctors participated in the 5th Indo-US Update on Diabetes and Diabetic Foot 2017, at which the oration lecture was delivered.