{"id":105651,"date":"2026-05-28T17:45:36","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T12:15:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=105651"},"modified":"2026-05-28T17:45:36","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T12:15:36","slug":"rise-of-non-communicable-diseases-in-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/rise-of-non-communicable-diseases-in-india\/","title":{"rendered":"Rise of Non-Communicable Diseases in India, Causes, Impact"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Sample Registration System (SRS) Statistical Report 2024 highlights a major shift in India\u2019s mortality pattern. Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) accounted for 60% of all deaths during 2022\u20132024, rising from 52.8% in 2015\u20132017. This sharp increase of 7.3 percentage points signals a decisive epidemiological transition where chronic diseases have overtaken infectious diseases as the leading cause of death in India.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>About Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/non-communicable-diseases\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Non-Communicable Diseases<\/strong><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are <\/span><b>chronic, non-infectious <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">conditions that develop slowly and persist over long durations.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They are <\/span><b>not transmitted from person to person<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and arise <\/span><b>due to a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental, and behavioural factors.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>major NCDs include <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These conditions are strongly <\/span><b>associated with lifestyle risks <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">such as unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and chronic stress.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/world-health-organisation\/\" target=\"_blank\">World Health Organization (WHO)<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> identifies tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and harmful use of alcohol as the four key behavioural drivers of the global NCD burden.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Rising Burden of NCDs in India<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>India is witnessing a steady rise in the burden of NCDs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which now account for <\/span><b>60% of total deaths<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This reflects a clear structural shift in the country\u2019s disease profile over the last decade.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Among NCDs, cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> accounting for 32.1% of total deaths in 2022\u20132024 compared to 27.1% earlier.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>burden of cardiovascular diseases is higher in the 30\u201369 age group<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, where they account for 37.3% of deaths, indicating rising premature mortality among working-age individuals.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Other important causes of death include <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cancers, respiratory diseases, digestive diseases, and respiratory infections, each accounting for more than 5% of total deaths in India during 2022\u20132024.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Other Key Findings of SRS 2024<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Double Burden of Disease<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: While NCDs are rising rapidly, the combined share of communicable diseases, maternal, perinatal, and nutritional conditions has declined only marginally from 22% to 19.7%, indicating that infectious diseases still persist alongside chronic illnesses.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Youth Mortality<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Among the 15\u201329 age group, suicide has emerged as the leading cause of death, increasing to 19% from 16.3%.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Rural-Urban and Gender Divide<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The burden of NCDs is higher in urban areas at 64.8% compared to 58.8% in rural areas, and slightly higher among men at 62.3% compared to 56.9% among women. However, the increasing trend across rural areas and women shows that NCDs are becoming widespread across all sections of society.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Regional Disparities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: In Empowered Action Group (EAG) states and Assam, NCDs account for 53.9% of deaths, while in other states the share rises to 63.5%, reflecting uneven stages of epidemiological transition across India.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Implications<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The rising burden of NCDs has significant economic and demographic consequences for India.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rising premature mortality in the working-age population reduces productivity and economic output.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Increased long-term treatment needs of NCDs raise healthcare costs and out-of-pocket expenditure.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Financial stress on households increases, pushing vulnerable groups towards poverty.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Growing NCD burden adds pressure on an already overburdened public healthcare system.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Combined with declining fertility rates, it threatens India\u2019s demographic dividend.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rising mental health issues and suicides among youth deepen socio-economic concerns.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Government Initiatives<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To address the rising burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in India, the Government has implemented several preventive, promotive, and curative healthcare initiatives under national health programmes and flagship schemes.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD) <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">focuses on screening, early detection, and management of major NCDs such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Under <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/ayushman-bharat\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Ayushman Bharat<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Health and Wellness Centres (Ayushman Arogya Mandirs) strengthen primary healthcare by providing community-level screening and preventive services for NCDs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/pradhan-mantri-jan-arogya-yojana\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY)<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> offers financial protection for secondary and tertiary treatment, reducing the economic burden of high-cost NCD care.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>National Mental Health Programme and the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> aim to improve access to mental health services and address rising suicide cases among youth.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Behavioural change and awareness initiatives<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> such as the <\/span><b>Fit India Movement<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Eat Right India Campaign <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">promote healthier lifestyles to reduce key NCD risk factors.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Challenges<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite several government initiatives, India continues to face major structural, behavioural, and institutional challenges in tackling the rising burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>India\u2019s healthcare system<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> remains largely <\/span><b>curative-oriented rather than preventive and primary healthcare-focused,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> limiting effective long-term NCD management.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Weak screening, early diagnosis, and surveillance mechanisms, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">especially in rural and EAG states, lead to delayed treatment and higher mortality.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Rapid urbanisation, sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy diets, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and air pollution<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are emerging as major lifestyle risk factors driving the NCD epidemic.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Rising cases of mental health disorders and youth suicides <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">highlight the inadequate reach of India\u2019s mental healthcare infrastructure and counselling services.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Persistent shortage of specialists, diagnostic facilities, trained healthcare workers, and health infrastructure<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> affects accessibility and affordability of quality healthcare.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Weak civil registration systems and cause-of-death data collection<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> continue to hamper accurate assessment and evidence-based policy intervention.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Way Forward<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India needs a comprehensive and preventive public health approach to effectively tackle the rising burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Strengthening primary healthcare systems <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">through Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and expanding community-level screening can improve early detection and long-term disease management.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Greater focus on preventive healthcare and behavioural change <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is needed through awareness campaigns promoting healthy diet, physical activity, yoga, and reduction in tobacco and alcohol consumption.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Integrating mental healthcare services into primary healthcare, schools, colleges, and workplaces <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is essential to address rising stress, depression, and youth suicides.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>A multi-sectoral \u201cHealth in All Policies\u201d approach<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> involving education, urban planning, food regulation, environment, and employment policies is necessary to address lifestyle and social determinants of health.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Special emphasis should be given to rural areas and EAG states<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by improving healthcare infrastructure, specialist availability, and diagnostic facilities.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Strengthening health data systems, civil registration, and cause-of-death reporting <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">will help in evidence-based policymaking and targeted interventions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Non-Communicable Diseases in India are rising rapidly due to lifestyle changes. Know causes, impacts, government initiatives, and key health challenges.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":105656,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[786],"tags":[7807],"class_list":{"0":"post-105651","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-general-studies","8":"tag-rise-of-non-communicable-diseases-in-india","9":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105651","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=105651"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105651\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":105658,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105651\/revisions\/105658"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/105656"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=105651"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=105651"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=105651"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}