Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda informed the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday that under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD), nearly 56,000 breast cancer cases and 1.56 lakh oral cancer cases were detected. As part of this program, over 88 million women were screened for cervical cancer, leading to the diagnosis of nearly 98,000 cases. Additionally, more than 14 crore individuals were screened for breast cancer, and over 26 crore for oral cancer.
The program also included screenings for hypertension and diabetes, with 32.52 crore people screened for hypertension and 32.36 crore for diabetes. The diagnosed cases stood at 3.21 crore for hypertension and 2.05 crore for diabetes.
Launched in 2010 by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, the NP-NCD aims to strengthen infrastructure, develop human resources, promote health, and improve early diagnosis, management, and referral to appropriate healthcare facilities for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The program has established 770 District NCD Clinics, 233 Cardiac Care Units (CCUs), 372 District Day Care Centres, and 6,410 Community Health Centres.
In addition, Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) carry out a Community-Based Assessment Checklist (CBAC) for individuals aged 30 and above to assess the risk of NCDs. High-risk individuals are then referred for screenings for common NCDs. The National NCD Portal, launched in 2018, facilitates NCD screening and management, ensuring continuous care for five major NCDs. Frontline workers, including ASHAs and Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), provide prevention, control, and screening services, while referral and continuity of care are ensured through Community Health Centres, District Hospitals, and tertiary care institutions.
