India witnessing fastest rise in cancer cases: Report

A latest report on the health scenario in India on Friday indicated a significant growth in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) across the nation and said the country was witnessing fastest rise in cancer cases.

On average, at least one in three Indians today were pre-diabetic, two in three were pre-hypertensive and one in 10 were depressed, the 4th edition of Apollo Hospitals' flagship Health of Nation Report on World Health Day 2024, said.

The report sheds light on the concerning rise of NCDs in India, including cancer, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and mental health issues, all of which significantly impact the nation's overall health, the hospital said in a release in Chennai.

Particularly alarming was the escalating incidence of cancer in India compared to global rates, making India the 'cancer capital of the world', it said.

The annual report predicted a potential surge in healthcare burdens due to conditions such as pre-diabetes, pre-hypertension, and mental health disorders manifesting at increasingly younger ages.

Highlighting the importance of regular health screenings, the report underscores their role in reducing blood pressure (BP) and body mass index (BMI) levels, thereby lowering the risk of cardiac-related ailments.

Apollo's data further found that while there continued to be a need to increase the penetration of health checks in India, people are increasingly choosing more comprehensive health checks today than before, a positive step towards safeguarding one's health and wellness.

Dr Preetha Reddy, vice chairperson, Apollo Hospitals, said the importance of health in our nation's development cannot be overstated.

"With our Health of Nation report, we hope to draw attention and awareness to the ever-increasing burden of non-communicable diseases and strongly believe that the entire healthcare ecosystem and the nation needs to come together and have a unified outlook so that we can combat NCDs in the truest sense," she said.

The findings demonstrated a significant need for immediate interventions to fight, prevent and reverse the growing epidemic of cancer, diabetes, hypertension and obesity among others. The need to educate the public and create individualised preventive healthcare solutions has never been greater, she said in the release.

"By prioritising investments in health infrastructure, promoting preventive healthcare measures, and addressing health inequities, I am confident that we will be able to unlock the full potential of our nation and pave the way for inclusive and sustainable development," Preetha Reddy further said.

Dr Madhu Sasidhar, president & CEO, Apollo Hospitals said the significant rise in NCDs represented a profound shift in the global health landscape, posing formidable challenges to individuals, communities, and nations. Innovation in preventive healthcare and boosting accessibility must become a priority for the entire healthcare industry.

"From our AI-backed preventive healthcare programme to a vast screening footprint, we are committed to leveraging the power of technology to improve disease prevention, increase the accuracy of diagnoses, and create world-class patient-centric treatment methodologies that shape the future of healthcare," Sasidhar said.

Apollo Hospitals' ProHealth Score aimed at increasing awareness about the contributing factors to this health crisis and advocate for proactive measures to address the growing impact of NCDs on the population.

Most common cancers in order of occurrence in India are Breast, Cervix and Overy in women and Lung, Mouth and Prostrate in men with the median age for cancer diagnosis in India is lower than other countries. Despite this, cancer screening rates in India remain very low, the release stated.

Some of the key findings of the report include obesity incidence has increased from 9 per cent in 2016 to 20 per cent in 2023, Hypertension incidence increased from 9 per cent in 2016 to 13 per cent in 2023 and high proportion of Indians were also at risk for Obstructive Sleep Apnea.