The Union Health Ministry, in collaboration with the Government of Telangana, conducted a two-day National Workshop on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) on 8–9 January 2025 in Hyderabad. The workshop brought together Principal Secretaries (Health), Mission Directors of the National Health Mission, senior officers from states and union territories, health professionals, and policymakers to strengthen strategies for preventing, screening, managing, and treating NCDs.
Union Health Secretary Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava highlighted the importance of inter-sectoral collaboration, enhanced research, and innovative practices in addressing the increasing burden of NCDs. She stated, “This national workshop marked a significant step toward achieving the government’s vision of a ‘Healthy India’, with an emphasis on universal access to quality healthcare services and the reduction of premature mortality from NCDs.”
She further remarked, “This conference will help in strategizing the priorities of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare while submitting proposals before the 16th Finance Commission of India for strengthening the healthcare system, including prevention and control of NCDs.”
The workshop included discussions, field visits, and knowledge-sharing sessions on major NCDs such as diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, chronic respiratory disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, stroke, and cancer. Field visits to health facilities in Telangana offered participants an opportunity to observe best practices and innovative approaches in managing NCDs at primary and secondary care levels.
Sessions during the workshop highlighted community-based interventions, including campaigns like Fit India and Eat Right India. Nagaland’s tobacco cessation and de-addiction initiatives and Telangana’s integration of yoga and wellness practices were showcased as models for other states.
State-specific strategies were also presented. Assam’s hypertension control programme, Tamil Nadu’s comprehensive NCD screening initiatives, and Andhra Pradesh’s cancer care infrastructure demonstrated effective approaches to addressing regional health challenges. Other states shared tailored strategies that have achieved success by aligning healthcare initiatives with cultural and regional contexts.
A special session on research priorities underscored the need for implementation research to bridge gaps in the prevention, screening, and treatment of NCDs. Experts from leading medical institutions shared presentations on challenges in screening, diagnosis, and management of conditions such as myocardial infarction, chronic kidney disease, chronic respiratory disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and stroke.
Cancer care infrastructure received particular focus, with discussions on strengthening district-level cancer care, the role of tertiary care centres, and population-based cancer registries. Strategies to address gaps in cancer care, from screening to follow-up, were explored with inputs from experts in oral, breast, and cervical cancer.
Best practices from Telangana and Tamil Nadu were highlighted for their secondary-level NCD clinics and comprehensive screening programmes, offering scalable solutions for improving NCD care nationwide.