The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Thursday approved the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) for implementation till the remaining period of the 11th Five-Year Plan which ends in 2012.

The programme will be implemented in 20,000 sub-centres and 700 Community Health Centres (CHCs) in 100 districts across 15 states and union territories, says a government press release.

Out of the total budget of Rs 1,230.90 crore for the programme, Rs 499.38 crore is for interventions on diabetes and cardiovascular diseases and stroke and Rs 731.52 crore is for cancer control. Eighty percent of the cost of the programme will be taken care of by the central government and the rest 20 percent will be state governments’ responsibility.

The programme will focus on promoting healthy lifestyle through health education and media efforts at national level. Persons above the age of 30 years will be screened and Non Communicable Disease (NCD) clinics will be established at the CHC and district levels.

To add flexibility in implementing the programme, funds can also be used from one disease to another within the same group of diseases in a limited ceiling of 10 percent. In case more funds are needed for one component beyond this limit, it would be decided by the Empowered Programme Committee (EPC) and Mission Steering Group (MSG) set up under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).

Under the programme, the government expects to screen over seven crore people (30 years and above) for diabetes and hypertension. It will propagate adoption of healthy lifestyles with enhanced physical activity and reduced intake of tobacco and alcohol.

Non-communicable diseases’ burden is increasing in India with 42 percent of all deaths caused because of it. According to a 2002 World Health Organisation (WHO) report, cardiovascular diseases will be the largest cause of death and disability in India by 2020.

There are an estimated 25 Lakh cancer cases in India. These diseases affect the productive population, aged between 35 and 64 years, of the country and the cost implications are huge as the treatment expenses are enormous for NCDs. High blood pressure, cholesterol, tobacco use unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, alcohol consumption, and obesity are the major contributors to NCDs and can be easily modified with lifestyle changes.