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Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is currently the leading cause of death in urban and rural India, killing three million people each year. India is also home to more than 60 million diabetics — more than any other country. "Chronic diseases have reached epidemic proportions in India," said Prof. K. Srinath Reddy of the Public Health Foundation of India, who spoke with Dr. Gayle at a Sept. 21 press briefing. "Less than half of the people living with these diseases are diagnosed and receiving treatment. A concerted effort toward addressing this burden of NCDs requires strengthening the health system through an innovative, multi-sectoral approach." On Sept. 20, the Medtronic Foundation convened a group of community health experts, non-profits, academia and the private sector in New Delhi. Among those attending were several Medtronic Foundation grantees in India including Dr. D. Prabhakaran from the Centre for Chronic Disease Control in New Delhi and Dr. Nikhil Tandon from All India Institute of Medical Sciences, who recently launched a pilot program funded by the Medtronic Foundation in Himachal Pradesh using high-tech healthcare tools and community health worker training to better screen, diagnose and treat diabetes and CVD patients. Using a "continuum of care" framework to guide the conversation, participants identified barriers and gaps within the current health system in order to collectively explore solutions to strengthen health systems. A full report on the Medtronic Foundation's India grantmaking is available upon request. Since 2010, the Medtronic Foundation has committed more than $7.5 million (U.S.) in NCD-related grants, including $1.2 million (U.S.) to NCD-related efforts in India. Moving forward, the Foundation will continue to increase global funding to expand access to NCD care for underserved communities, specifically focusing on efforts to recruit, train and equip frontline health workers, and to help reinforce patient-centered approaches to health promotion. With NCDs accounting for more than 60 percent of all deaths worldwide, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called upon the world's businesses to help address NCDs, which are expected to increase by 50 percent in developing countries by 2030. NCDs account for roughly 75 percent of healthcare costs in both advanced and developing economies, according to the World Economic Forum. About the Medtronic Foundation About Medtronic Source: Medtronic, Inc. |
