India may be hub of chronic illness

According to a World Health Organisation report Preventing  Chronic Diseases — A Vital Investment, 350 million people will die in the next 10 years of chronic disease and a significant proportion of these will be in India.

To help fight such diseases is an initiative launched by the Piramal group with the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India. Helpyourbody, a nationwide campaign against chronic diseases, was inaugurated by former president APJ Abdul Kalam at KC College in Churchgate on Saturday. Helpyourbody will kick off in three phases, comprising a panel of experts in diabetology, cardiology and orthopaedics, as crusaders in the first phase. “Each doctor will impart information to patients on risk factors for chronic diseases, diagnosis and management,” said Dr Swati Piramal,
director, Piramal Healthcare Ltd.

The campaign will focus on ailments like hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, addiction and mental health. Tests will be carried out at 90 diagnostic centres across 47 cities and detection camps will be organised in 20 cities across India
reaching out to 10,00,000 people.

“India is expected to be the chronic disease capital in the world. The government, private sector, NGOs and medical fraternity should help combat these diseases,” said Piramal.

Kalam said, “Corporates should carry out periodic check-ups of employees over 40 years. Students should become ambassadors for this cause. Rural areas need to have mobile clinics and awareness among taxi-drives and dabbawallahs should be increased.”