Being overwhelmed with the demands of controlling the Covid-19 pandemic, the healthcare system is not able to provide essential healthcare services like before and hence it is vital to scale up action to prevent morbidities or deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCDs), Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said during a panel discussion on “Continuity on Health Services during COVID-19 Crisis” on Tuesday.
“Our health facilities and workforce are currently inundated by a plethora of activities related to controlling the pandemic. In doing so, essential health services which communities expect from the health system do get compromised,” Vardhan said.
He further added it is important not only to maintain people’s trust in the health system to deliver essential health services but also to minimise any increase in morbidity and mortality from other health conditions.
Besides Vardhan, Nikhil Seth, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director, United Nations Institute for Training and Research, David Nabarro, Co-Director of the Institute of Global Health Innovation and Special Envoy of WHO Director-General on Covid-19, Health Ministers of The Gambia, Rwanda, Bhutan among others were also present in the meeting.
While 70 per cent of global deaths are attributable to NCDs, in India this figure is estimated to be lower, around 63 per cent, the Health Minister stated. India has been able to reduce premature NCD related mortalities from 503 to 490 per 100,000 population from 2015 to 2019, he said.
Health screening
“Primary care NCDs are now being provided in 76,102 newly established Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres. Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) have expanded the scope of primary healthcare to include screening and diagnosis of NCDs, and eliminated out-of-pocket expenses related to NCDs for 100 million vulnerable people” Vardhan said.
India’s aim is to reduce premature deaths by 25 per cent by 2025, for which Covid-19 responses are being integrated with NCD screening and care, and IT and artificial intelligence potential are being maximised, Vardhan said.
“Government allocations for Covid-19 and other investments are being smartly dovetailed with our National NCD Action Plan. NCD diagnostics are being established alongside Covid screening, and NCD care services are being augmented into health and wellness centres,” Vardhan said.