15 May 2026·The Hindu

Building a preventive health culture in India

In this note

1. At a Glance

India's health system biased toward curative care, not prevention — NCDs (heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes) now 63% of all deaths, overtaking infectious disease [1].
UPSC angle: bridges GS-II (health policy, governance) and GS-III (human resource, science-society).
Preventive health culture = shift from "treat illness" to "protect health" — flagship push via Ayushman Bharat HWCs and NP-NCD screening [3].

Op-ed by Dr. Prathap C. Reddy (Apollo Hospitals founder), "Building a preventive health culture in India," The Hindu, 15 May 2026 — argues India built curative capacity but not preventive culture; ~270 million Indians live with chronic disease, most undiagnosed [4].
Union Health Ministry ran Intensified Special NCD Screening Drive (20 Feb–31 Mar 2025) targeting 100% screening coverage for age 30+ [2].

NP-NCD (earlier NPCDCS — National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke) — original vertical NCD scheme [1].
Ayushman Bharat launched 2018; first Health & Wellness Centre (HWC) inaugurated by PM, 14 April 2018 [3].
SHCs/PHCs upgraded to HWCs — mandate widened beyond curative to preventive+promotive+rehabilitative+palliative care [3].
Screening age cohort fixed at 30 years and above for common NCDs [1][3].

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) [1][3].
Scheme: National Programme for Prevention and Control of NCDs (NP-NCD, earlier NPCDCS) [1].
Diseases covered: Diabetes, Hypertension, Oral/Breast/Cervical cancers, Chronic Kidney Disease, STEMI, Chronic Respiratory Disease, NAFLD, Stroke [1].
Infrastructure: 770 District NCD Clinics, 372 District Day Care Centres, 233 Cardiac Care Units, 6,410 CHC-level NCD Clinics [1].
HWCs operationalized: 10,252+ (as reported) [3].
Screening data point: 1,33,84,332 (~1.34 crore) persons aged 30+ screened for NCDs at HWCs [3].
NCD death share: 63% of all deaths in India [1].
Chronic disease burden (op-ed claim): ~270 million Indians, majority undiagnosed [4].
Delivery platform: SHC/PHC upgraded to HWC (sub-centre + primary centre tier) [3].

Social

Undiagnosed chronic disease burden concentrated among poor/rural populations with low health-seeking behaviour [4].
Preventive culture requires behavioural/lifestyle change (diet, tobacco, exercise) — equity concerns in access to screening.

Economic

NCDs impose catastrophic out-of-pocket expenditure; prevention cuts long-run fiscal/health burden.
Productivity loss from chronic disease among working-age population threatens demographic-dividend gains.

Administrative

Federal delivery via State-run SHC/PHC network — implementation quality varies by State capacity [3].
Screening-drive model (time-bound campaigns) vs continuous surveillance — sustainability question.

Governance/Ethical

Shift from disease-response model to rights-based preventive-health entitlement; accountability for screening coverage targets.

Scientific/Technological

Teleconsultation integrated at HWCs for specialist referral — tech-enabled last-mile diagnosis [3].

Intensified Special NCD Screening Drive, 20 Feb–31 Mar 2025, aiming 100% coverage of population aged 30+ [2].
Continued PIB updates (2024-25) on NP-NCD strengthening in "deprived areas" [1].
Op-ed (May 2026) renews public debate on curative-vs-preventive imbalance [4].

NP-NCD earlier called NPCDCS (National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, CVD and Stroke).
Nodal Ministry for NP-NCD and Ayushman Bharat HWCs: MoHFW (not NITI Aayog).
First AB-HWC inaugurated 14 April 2018 by PM.
NCDs account for 63% of all deaths in India — surpassed infectious diseases.
Screening age threshold under NP-NCD/HWC: 30 years and above.
NP-NCD infra: 770 District NCD Clinics, 372 District Day Care Centres, 233 Cardiac Care Units, 6,410 CHC NCD Clinics.
~270 million Indians estimated to live with chronic disease (op-ed figure, not official census).
HWCs upgrade Sub Health Centres (SHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) — not District Hospitals.
Special NCD Screening Drive window: 20 Feb–31 Mar 2025.
Diseases under NP-NCD list include NAFLD and STEMI — often missed in MCQs (beyond just diabetes/hypertension).
Over 1.34 crore persons screened at HWCs (cited figure, campaign-specific).

GS-II: Health — issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health.
GS-III: Science and Tech / Human Resource — indirectly, health as human capital for growth.
Possible stems: 1. "India's healthcare system is curative-heavy but prevention-deficient. Discuss with reference to NCD burden and suggest institutional reforms." (GS-II) 2. "Examine role of Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres in building a preventive health culture in India." (GS-II) 3. "Rising NCD burden threatens India's demographic dividend. Analyze." (GS-III/Essay)

Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY — insurance arm complements HWC preventive arm.
National Health Policy 2017 — sets preventive/promotive health as goal.
NCD burden & WHO Global Action Plan on NCDs — international benchmark.
Demographic dividend — chronic disease threat to workforce productivity.
Universal Health Coverage (UHC), SDG-3 — global preventive-health framing.
Fit India Movement / Eat Right India (FSSAI) — lifestyle-prevention linkage.
Tobacco control (COTPA 2003, FCTC) — major NCD risk-factor policy.

Confusing NPCDCS (old name) with NP-NCD (current) — same programme, renamed/expanded.
Attributing HWCs to NITI Aayog instead of MoHFW.
Mixing up screening age (30+) with other schemes' age thresholds (e.g., PMJAY has no age cap).
Treating "270 million chronic-disease" figure as official govt statistic — it's from op-ed, not NFHS/PIB.
Assuming HWC = only NCD screening; syllabus also covers RCH, mental health, oral/ENT, palliative, elderly care [3].