How a triple threat of diseases is pushing India toward a health emergency

India is staring at a looming health emergency, with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer rising at alarming rates, according to a panel of Padma awardee doctors.

At a recent session hosted by Pacific OneHealth, the doctors cautioned that unless urgent steps are taken, India could soon be overwhelmed by this NCD crisis.

Padma Shri Dr D S Rana, Chairman, Board of Trustees at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, stressed the need for fair access and strong regulation.


“Our ultimate goal should be universal healthcare. While India has progressed, disparities remain. We need ethical practices and regulatory courage, particularly in drug pricing and hospital costs, to make healthcare equitable,” he said.

Heart disease: The ‘final common pathway’

Highlighting the growing burden of cardiovascular illnesses, Padma Shri Dr Praveen Chandra, Chairman of Interventional and Structural Heart Cardiology at Medanta, described the heart as “the common pathway for multiple diseases.”

He noted that emergency angioplasty within the golden hour could save countless lives, and pointed out that advanced cardiac procedures are now possible even for patients in their 80s and 90s.

Diabetes crisis in the capital

Padma Shri Dr Anoop Misra, leading endocrinologist and diabetologist, raised stark concerns over the diabetes epidemic.

“One in three Delhi residents is diabetic, with another 30 per cent pre-diabetic. This is nothing to be proud of. Prevention and early control are critical. Drugs such as Ozempic may show promise, but lifestyle change and awareness remain our strongest tools,” said Dr Misra, who is Chairman of Fortis C-DOC Hospital for Diabetes and Allied Sciences, and a former AIIMS professor.

A call for trust-based care

Padma Shri Dr Mohsin Wali, Senior Consultant, Internal Medicine at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, stressed that care must be rooted in trust. He cited his own hospital’s non-profit model, which he said embodies the principle: “Healthcare As It Should Be.”

“By adopting such models, we can effectively address the growing burden of NCDs and move towards a healthier India,” he said.

Dr Swadeep Srivastava, President and Co-Founder of Pacific OneHealth, emphasised that healthcare in India must evolve from being a privilege to becoming a promise.

“The future lies in bridging preventive, primary and tertiary care seamlessly, while ensuring no one is left behind,” he said.

The panel concluded that while India has made remarkable progress in medical technology and advanced treatment, the unchecked rise of lifestyle-related illnesses and poor uptake of preventive screening are driving the nation towards a public health catastrophe.

Inputs from PTI