Chronic illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and mental health disorders are at critical levels and have a considerable impact on the nation’s health.
A new study on India’s health presents a concerning picture. Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are on the rise, with cancer cases soaring nationwide. Apollo Hospitals produced a report for globe Health Day 2024 that dubbed India the “cancer capital of the world.”
The facts don’t lie: one-third of Indians are pre-diabetic, two-thirds are pre-hypertensive, and one in ten suffers from depression. These chronic illnesses, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and mental health difficulties, are at critical levels and have a considerable impact on the nation’s health.
The rapidly increasing number of cancer cases, which exceeds global averages, is particularly concerning. The paper also warns of a potential healthcare catastrophe as pre-diabetes, pre-hypertension, and mental health illnesses are increasingly recognized in young people.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research (NCDIR), the prevalence of cancer in India has gradually increased over time.
Dr. Nikhil S Ghadyalpatil, director of medical oncology, senior consultant medical oncologist, and hemato-oncologist at Yashoda Hospitals Hyderabad, stated that addressing the challenges necessitates a multifaceted approach involving a variety of stakeholders, including government agencies, healthcare providers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), researchers, and the community.
A perfect storm of risks
The high cancer incidence in India is the result of a combination of lifestyle, environmental, and socioeconomic difficulties. Tobacco usage, both smoking and non-smoking, dramatically increases the risk of lung, mouth, and throat cancers, according to Dr. Chinnababu Sunkavalli, clinical director-surgical oncology, senior consultant surgical oncology, and robotic surgery oncology at Yashoda Hospitals in Hyderabad. Furthermore, air pollution from vehicles and factories exposes a large proportion of the population to carcinogenic compounds, raising the risk of many malignancies.
