The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in collaboration with the Government of Telangana, successfully conducted a two-day National Workshop on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) on January 8–9, 2025. The event, held in Hyderabad, gathered key stakeholders including health professionals, policymakers, and senior officials from across the nation. The primary focus of the workshop was to strengthen strategies for the prevention, management, and treatment of NCDs, which are increasingly becoming a significant public health challenge in India.
Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava, Union Health Secretary, highlighted the growing importance of inter-sectoral collaboration, innovative research, and comprehensive strategies to tackle the rising burden of NCDs in India. She emphasized that the workshop was a crucial step towards realizing the government’s vision of a “Healthy India,” which includes universal access to quality healthcare services and the reduction of premature mortality due to NCDs.
“This national workshop marked a significant step toward achieving the government’s vision of a ‘Healthy India,’ with an emphasis on universal access to healthcare services and reducing premature mortality from NCDs,” Smt. Srivastava stated.
The workshop featured a series of discussions, field visits, and knowledge-sharing sessions on major NCDs including diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease (CKD), chronic respiratory diseases (CRD), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), stroke, and cancer. One of the main highlights was the field visits to health facilities in Telangana, where participants witnessed first-hand the innovative practices and successful NCD management strategies being implemented at the grassroots level. These visits offered valuable insights into the practical aspects of healthcare interventions at both primary and secondary healthcare facilities.
The discussions at the conference centered around community-based interventions, with a special focus on national campaigns such as Fit India and Eat Right India. State-specific success stories were shared, including Nagaland’s tobacco cessation and de-addiction initiatives and Telangana’s integration of yoga and wellness programs. These models were identified as scalable examples for other states to replicate.
Special sessions were dedicated to the sharing of successful regional practices. For instance, Assam’s hypertension control program, Tamil Nadu’s comprehensive NCD screenings, and Andhra Pradesh’s robust cancer care infrastructure were showcased as leading examples of effective regional solutions. The workshop underscored the importance of tailoring strategies to local contexts to achieve impactful results in managing NCDs.
A particular area of emphasis was research priorities, with an emphasis on the need for implementation research to bridge gaps in prevention, screening, and treatment strategies for NCDs. Experts from leading medical institutions shared their perspectives on overcoming challenges related to screening, diagnosis, and management of conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, kidney disease, and stroke.
The workshop also addressed the urgent need to strengthen cancer care infrastructure, focusing on expanding cancer care at district hospitals, the role of tertiary care centers, and the importance of population-based cancer registries. Best practices from Telangana and Tamil Nadu were shared for improving secondary-level NCD clinics and expanding comprehensive screening programs to enhance early detection and treatment.
India’s rising burden of NCDs is a pressing issue, as these diseases now account for over 66% of all deaths in the country. This situation is exacerbated by demographic changes and an aging population. The government has been actively responding to this crisis with programs such as the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD) under the National Health Mission. The program addresses a wide range of NCDs, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, and cancers, and has been expanded to incorporate emerging health threats such as chronic kidney disease (CKD) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), alongside critical services such as dialysis through the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme (PMNDP).
The workshop concluded with a renewed commitment to collaborative efforts and innovative strategies aimed at reducing the NCD burden and improving health outcomes for the Indian population.
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