“A tsunami of non-communicable diseases (NCD) is about to hit us and it is imperative to prevent it from happening,” cautioned Prathap C. Reddy, cardiologist and founder of Apollo Hospitals.
He was speaking at the inauguration of the third annual conference of the Heart Failure Association of India that will be held this weekend in the city. Dr. Reddy said the world’s population is expected to spend an estimated $ 30 trillion on NCDs and India’s contribution would be $ five trillion.
Given that the allocation for health is only around 1.2% to 1.3% of the total budget, it is necessary to raise awareness among people to prevent a disaster. “If you work eight hours a day, then set aside three minutes per hour that is 24 minutes for exercise,” he advised.
“India accounts for four to five million cases of heart failure and world-wide, around 2.5 crore (24-25 million) cases are registered,” said T. Sunder, cardiothoracic and heart-lung transplant surgeon, adding that “a failing heart affects all organs of the body. As the heart cannot pump efficiently, blood stagnates in the lungs, kidneys and liver, affecting their function. This requires intervention by specialists with expertise.
Cardiologists say 54% of deaths in the city are due to heart attacks and other cardiac-related ailments.
The annual conference will provide a platform for doctors from different specialities, besides physiotherapists, nutritionists and transplant coordinators, to share their experiences and ideas in managing persons with heart failure.
According to Abraham Oomen and Vijay Kumar Chopra, conference organising secretary and president of the association, the aim of the conference is to highlight the interdisciplinary approach to heart failures.
