Govt has no central data on heart attack, cancer, HIV: MoHFW to Rajya Sabha

Heart diseases contributed 28.1% of the total deaths in India, in 2016 compared to 15.2% in 1990

Heart diseases accounted for 28.1 per cent of the deaths in India in 2016, the government told Rajya Sabha on Thursday. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) quoted an Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) report while answering an unstarred question on "upward trend in cases of heart attack, cancer, diabetes and HIV" in Rajya Sabha. 

Rajya Sabha MP from Tamil Nadu, K R N Rajeshkumar had asked "whether the cases of heart attack, cancer, diabetes and HIV have shown an upward trend in the country according to World Health Organisation (WHO) data; and if so, then what are "the details thereof during last three years"; and "whether the said increase of the cases has also been reported by Central Bureau of Health Intelligence; and if so, the remedial action taken by Government to control these diseases?"

"The Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI) does not maintain data centrally for these specific diseases" the MoHFW replied in the answer.

The Health Ministry has thus quoted the ICMR study “India: Health of the Nation's States”, and said that heart diseases contributed 28.1 per cent of the total deaths in India, in 2016 compared to 15.2 per cent in 1990.

The ICMR report compares the 2016 data with the data from the year 1990. 

According to the report, in 1990 heart diseases contributed 15.2 per cent of the total deaths in India. The report further elaborated that several risks are associated with non-communicable diseases like tobacco use, alcohol use, unhealthy diet, and less physical activity.

"Cardiovascular diseases (including heart attack), cancer and diabetes patients are getting treatment at various health facilities in the health care delivery system including medical colleges, central institutes like AIIMS, central government hospitals, and

private sector hospitals through Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) and state-based schemes," the ministry replied on action taken.

MoHFW informed Rajya Sabha, that the Department of Health & Family Welfare provides technical and financial support to the states/UTs under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS), as part of the National Health Mission (NHM), based on the proposals received from the states/UTs and subject to the resource envelope.

NPCDCS focuses on addressing cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attacks and the policy emphasis is on reinforcing infrastructure, developing human resources, promoting health, and raising awareness to prevent, detect, manage, and refer non-communicable diseases (NCDs) to the appropriate healthcare facilities.

708 district-level NCD clinics, 194 specialised cardiac care units, and 5,671 NCD clinics at community health centers have been set up under the NPCDCS.

The ministry said in its reply that the focus is also on various aspects of NCDs in case of new AIIMS and many upgraded institutions under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojna (PMSSY).

"Under the PMJAY, health insurance cover of Rs 5 lakhs per family per year for secondary or tertiary care hospitalisation to over 120 million beneficiary families identified from Socio Economic and Caste Census 2011 (SECC 2011) database is provided. The treatment packages under AB-PMJAY are very comprehensive covering various treatment-related aspects such as drugs and diagnostic service," replied the ministry.

On HIV AIDS, the ministry replied, "the government of India is currently implementing the fully-funded Phase-V of the

National AIDS and STD Control Programme (NACP) as a Central Sector Scheme for a period of five years from 1st April 2021 to 31st March 2026. The NACP Phase-V continues to offer free services for HIV prevention, detection, and treatment without any stigma and discrimination."

"As on January 2023, around 1.55 million people living with HIV (PLHIV) availed treatment from ART centres. More than 1.08 million viral load tests are being done among PLHIV who are on treatment to monitor the effectiveness of ART."